Intruder at the Gates
by Luinfirith
Summary: R for upcomming language. Figured I'd warn ya kiddies. There is an intruder at the Gates of Time that Setsuna JUST CAN'T remove. Guess that pairing, I dare you! COMPLETED!
1. Why Won't You Go Away?

He taught me to live for myself. and everything was destroyed for my moment of happiness, but there is a part of me. that does not regret it.  
  
Setsuna sat in front of the Gates of Time, her back to the massive decorated door, hugging her knees to herself. Her violet eyes hung low with pain. Extending her arm, she reached forward and drew a circle in the mist that hung over the ground, her fingertips barely touching the mist. The mist parting, revealing a silvery pool of a liquid that resembled quicksilver. At once the silvery colour became clear, and images of wild lore danced around her eyes. The images focused on pictures, memories. Memories of fighting with the Senshi in the designated present, the feeling of victory for their future Queen. The happy smiles on all their faces, images of Rei teasing Usa, Ami, Minako and Makoto gathered around Mako's stove, Huruka and Michiru off in a dark corner, little Hotaru and Small Lady running around. Sadness hung low in her eyes as she remembered her last days of living.  
  
"You know it's not healthy to carrying on in such despair, eh Setsuna?" A voice said, parting the silence. Setsuna lifted her head, a true smile finding its place, the despair vanishing.  
  
"Haruka." She said, her voice solemn as it always ways. Chibi Usa then poked out her head from around Haruka's legs.  
  
"Puu!!!" She squealed as she ran into the arms of the older woman. Setsuna wrapped her arms around Chibi Usa and picked her up, walking towards Haruka.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" She asked. Haruka laughed.  
  
"For as intelligence and wise as you are, you sure don't know a lot. We're here to see you."  
  
"Thank you... How's Michiru? And Hotaru?"  
  
"Fine, they're good. Hey Setsuna, take some time off, eh? Can't you? We all miss you down there, ya know?" Haruka said, not one to waste time with idle chit-chat.  
  
Setsuna smile faintly and put Chibi Usa down. "You know I can't. This is my fate, my duty. I can't abandon it." It hurt her to say that. It hurt her to say that to the two people she cared about most.  
  
"Pu, why don't you come to see us anymore? Michiru's birthday is coming soon; I want you to help me pick out a gift." Chibi Usa said, tugging on the skirt of Setsuna's Senshi fuku.  
  
"I'm sorry Small Lady, there have been more and more youma attacking, I can't leave the Gates unguarded. I would like nothing more than to see you all again. Please understand Small Lady."  
  
Haruka half smiled. "It isn't right. You are a human too, remember? You are a person. Drop by even for an hour or two, okay?"  
  
Setsuna smile. "Yeah. I'll try." Haruka and Chibi Usa then walked away, disappearing into the ever present fog. Setsuna glowered after they left. She hated lying. Returning to the pool of visions she swept her foot through it and it dissipated, glad no one noticed. Sitting down again, she reached out and retrieved her staff. Her hand touched the garnet orb and she remembered.  
  
"I must pay for my sin. This is not only my fate and destiny, but my punishment as well."  
  
Setsuna bit her lip. It hurt to think. For all the million of Time streams, there were millions of the same people, all in different times. But for all the millions of Time streams, there was only one of her. Condemned to solitude, she remembered Princess Serentiy's hatred. The glare in her eyes. and Serena didn't remember it. So sweet and naive, she wouldn't remember it. Darien knew though. He knew the shame, every time he looked into Setsuna's eyes. And he regretted it. Back in the Silver Millennium. when they were found in bed together. So she was paying for her sin.  
  
"A punishment far worse than the crime, I'd say." The taste of copper filled her mouth as Setsuna pulled herself from her thoughts. She gingerly touched the cut on her lip form biting it to hard. Nasty habit it was. Suddenly she sensed something. Something was close, and it was no friend or foe she recognized. Seizing her Staff in an offensive position, she waited for this entity. Slowly, the Gate creaked open to a crack. Then, a head poked out and looked around. It's eyes rested on Setsuna and seemed to change from curious to a look of glee.  
  
"Hey Babe, how are ya?" It said in a bubbly voice. Almost dumbfounded by this new presence, Setsuna then stood tall and stiff, her staff menacingly at her side.  
  
"I am the Guardian of Time! You have entreated entrance upon a forbidden ground. State your name, entity, and take your leave!" She said, her voice echoing sharply through the emptiness. The creature then stepped out of the gateway and onto the misty covered ground. A man, standing about a head taller than Setsuna, looked around with the curiosity of a child in a toy store. His chestnut hair was pulled loosely into a braid, and his bangs hung low, emphasizing the beauty of his violet eyes. Violet eye met Violet eye, and nothing was said. Setsuna glared harshly. She leapt forward at him, twirling her staff over her head, then swinging at his head. Unaware of the danger, the man dodged easily with the grace of water sliding along silk. Frustrated, Setsuna swung her staff at him again. He ducked and side dodged a couple more rounds of Setsuna's attacks, then grabbed the staff. He smirked.  
  
Hey, name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. And yours?" He said a keen look in his eye. His eyes wandered over her body, not missing an inch. When she refused to answer him, he kept talking. "Nice costume, what are you, some cheerleader?"  
  
Setsuna glared at the ignorance of "Duo". She pulled her staff away from him and kept swinging, hoping to catch him flat-footed. Still though, he dodged with the elegance of a shadow. For hours she attacked him, and Duo didn't even seem to notice. Fed up with his presence, she decided to eliminate him. He must be a youma. or something.  
  
"Pluto Dead Scream!" She called out, holding her staff in the air. When the light cleared and her attack was over, there was nothing. Setsuna smiled to herself, out of confidence and relief. Until something tackled her to the ground from behind. She landed on her back quickly, taken down with force. Her eyes glared with anger and horror as Duo was laying on her, pinning her down. Not one to be taken down, Setsuna struggled with him until she was pinning him down. He smirked and winked at her.  
  
"Thought you'd like the top."  
  
Setsuna surged with anger. Duo flipped her over again.  
  
"Tag, you're it. I win." He said. He removed himself from Setsuna and pulled her to her feet. Setsuna took a few seconds to calm down. She had no idea why she got so angry so quickly. It came form no where. Must be stress. Inhaling deeply Setsuna decided to try diplomacy again.  
  
"What is your purpose here?" She demanded, her voice level again. Duo shrugged.  
  
"I dunno, I found this odd door, and it lead me here." He said simply.  
  
"How did you find this door?!" She asked, the calmness in her voice jumping a bit. Not just anyone could see the door to Time. In fact, no mortal could. Duo shrugged again. Setsuna sighed. "Alright, describe your world, where did you come from. I suppose you're not a youma, so I must return you."  
  
"But I don't want to go back." He said, grinning at her.  
  
"Don't play games with me!" She hissed. His grin grew. He walked over to her and stood less that a foot away.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Setsuna swung her staff at him again. So much could go wrong with this. Again, he dodged with ease. Then, he reached forward and took the staff from her. He tossed the Garnet orb carelessly from hand to hand.  
  
"So, what's your name?" He asked. Setsuna took her staff back hastily. She held her penetrating stare on him for a moment. Duo just shrugged it off. Deciding he was just some human, nothing important or dangerous, she lowered her staff.  
  
"I am Setsuna Meiouh, the Guardian of the Gates of Time. The gates that you have violated." She said, straightening her Senshi fuku. Her hair had fallen out of its bun so Setsuna let all her hair down. He walked over to her and lifted her head to his.  
  
"So, what is this place?" He said, suddenly walking away, then circling the Gate. When he returned to the front of the door he opened it and peered into it. He then looked around the door again, seeing a vast land. When he looked back to the open doorway, he saw a corridor of doors. "Oh." He muttered. Setsuna stepped in front of him and shut the door. She remained blocking the door, her back flat to the gate, arms stretched over the door, a menacing look hovering over her eyes.  
  
"That is the hall of time. It contains doorways to other time realms, or dimensions." Her voice hissed, alerting Duo to keep his distance. Or, it was meant to alert him, but it went right over his head. "Speaking of which, where are you from?"  
  
"Not telling." He teased.  
  
.............................................  
  
Setsuna once more sat against the Gate of Time. Only now she had company. Duo sat next to hear, singing loudly and out of key. Unable to take the torture anymore, she jumped to her feet.  
  
"Silence! There is no food here! I cannot give you any, no matter how badly you sing! You can't possibly be hungry, there is no time here!"  
  
"So how do you eat?" He asked, standing with her.  
  
"You don't." She said firmly.  
  
"Not at all?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh. So what do you do then?" He asked sitting back down, a sudden sense of boredom entering his voice.  
  
"I prevent people from tempering with the time line and changing the past present or future." She said dully.  
  
"Sounds fun, how do you do that?"  
  
"Stop asking questions, you won't understand the mechanics of it anyways." She said.  
  
"Won't I? you don't know me, you can't make that assumption. For your information, I am a mechanic, not to mention the Shinigami. I might know a bit more than you think." Duo said walking over to her. Stepping away from him Setsuna gave him a disdainful stare.  
  
"The God of Death? What would you be doing in a mortal world then?"  
  
Again, Duo shrugged his shoulders. "I like their world better." Setsuna then suddenly turned to the east. Duo was about to say more but she held up a hand to silence him and for once it worked. Slowly, in the distance, a dark shadow emerged from the fog. Setsuna bowed low, not moving, and advised Duo to do the same. Duo put his hands behind his head relaxed.  
  
The shadow began to take form as King Endymion. He nodded to Setsuna and she straightened up. Immediately Duo's presence was noticed, as that was Endymion's purpose of his visit.  
  
"Who is that? Do I need to even bother telling you the regulations, or shall you remove him immediately?" He said, not making eye contact. Setsuna scowled.  
  
"He isn't the easiest to remove, Highness. I-"  
  
"Can't remove him?" Endymion said, almost challenging her. Duo suddenly became interested.  
  
"Maybe I don't wanna be removed, eh? Who put the stick up your ass anyway? Treat the lady with respect, didn't your mum teach you anything?" Duo said stepping between the two, getting up in Endymion's face. Glaring, Endymion turned to Setsuna, still not looking her in the eye.  
  
"See to it that this nuisance is removed." He then turned and began walking away, faded into the mists.  
  
"Alright, who's the bastard?" Duo asked, losing the edge he had used to speak to Endymion with, returning to his carefree attitude.  
  
"My King, Duo." Setsuna retorted sharply. Her eyes then saddened. "You're not going to leave per chance, are you?" Duo shrugged in response. "And leave such a pretty face like yours all alone?" When she didn't respond, Duo continued to talk.  
  
"Aight', so what's your deal with him? He didn't seem to comfortable, what's up with that?"  
  
"My king is ashamed of me. I do not care to elaborate." She said stiffly. Remembering. Tight pain griped her heart like a vice. Setsuna lowered her head to hide her tears. Duo walked over to her, seeing her shoulders tremble. Duo looked at her sympathetically. He reached out and wiped away a tear from his her eyes.  
  
"Want to tell me about it?" His voice had changed. It floated to her ears as soft as an angel's voice and comforted her. After all these years of solitude, all these years of keeping her pain and despair locked away in herself. who could turn away the temptation of companionship? She closed her eyes and pushed him away.  
  
"If you must stay, keep away from me and keep out of sight. I will figure out where you came from soon."  
  
Duo looked around. "Kay, where am I to hide? It's gonna be hard to keep out of sight in a place like this." Setsuna said nothing.  
  
............................................  
  
Endless hours passed as Duo tried to make idle chat. Setsuna tried to be cold to Duo, but something about him lured her to trust him. Hours passed by and he still didn't leave.  
  
Duo yawned. "Don't you ever get tired?"  
  
"I used to, but then my body adjusted to this realm. I cannot sleep now. Any moment of rest could let a youma or evil through the gates."  
  
Duo seemed to think for a moment. "How about. you sleep and I guard the Gates? Eh? Takes some time off to rest, you look stressed." He said, purposely using a bad sales pitch. She smiled slightly.  
  
"And what are you going to do to the youma? Talk them away?"  
  
"You mock, but I'll have you remember I am Shinigami. Haven't you wanted to rest? To slip away and dream?"  
  
Setsuna fell silent. She had forgotten the need for sleep. it seemed very welcoming, her distant memory. Sure that her instincts would wake her up before anything wrong would happen, Setsuna smiled and accepted her offer.  
  
Duo smiled softly at her as she lay on the ground, inhaling the sweet mist. Almost instantly, given the chance, her body succumbed to a blissful sleep.  
  
.............................................  
  
Slowly Setsuna lifted her eyelids. Warm. Her body was embedded in warmth. The scent of sweetness with an underlying metallic danger filled her lungs. Setsuna felt blanketed in warmth, a feeling that she hadn't felt in an ageless time. She closed her eyes again, for a moment, absorbed in comfort. When she opened them again a hand gently touched her face. When she looked up she saw Duo's face, smiling down at her. She was lying in his arms as he sat by the Time Gate.  
  
"He was the warmth and comfort." She thought. Quickly sitting up Setsuna felt a rushed of cold air sweep over her body and envelope her. She shivered, the cold air rushing straight through her, and retreated back to Duo's arms with out thought, shying away from the sudden cold.  
  
"I knew you couldn't resist me." Duo said, stroking her long green hair. Scowling, Setsuna stood up, bearing the cold for her stubbornness.  
  
She looked around, taking in her surroundings with a new gaze. "I had forgotten how cold this place was. and how empty." She thought, her eyes saddening. Duo stood up and walked up behind her.  
  
"Cold?" He asked simply. Duo placed his arms around her shoulders and across her chest. Closing her eyes and trying to resist Setsuna pulled away from him.  
  
"Maybe. but that doesn't matter. I had gotten used to it before, I am sure I can do it again."  
  
"But why would you want to?" He asked, his voice becoming soft.  
  
"Because I have to."  
  
"Not anymore. Now I'm here, now you don't have to be alone." His finger tips gently brushed stray bangs from her eyes and stroked her cheek. Setsuna sat on the ground, defeated. Plopping down next to her Duo ended the silence.  
  
"So, you and Endy-baka have a deep dark secret together, eh? What's between you two?"  
  
"An. affair." Setsuna said quietly and bitterly. Wincing, things began to piece together in Duo's mind.  
  
"So. you two were caught? Why were you the only one who was punished? After all. it does take two to have sex."  
  
"Because Serena loved him. I mean, Princess Serenity pardoned him."  
  
"Rough. Why do you deal with him then? Did he try to save you, or lighten your sentence?" Duo asked. Seeing her expression sadden, Duo could figure out the answer. "You know. This place. this barren wasteland is cold to you now because now you remember warmth, something you had long forgotten. Everything is empty to you now. because now I'm here and you have something to compare your loneliness to."  
  
Thinking of nothing to say, Setsuna glared at the misty ground, not meeting his eye. He smiled lightly.  
  
"Look. what do I know, eh?" Duo said. Placing an arm around her, Duo pulled her closer to him. Again, she breathed in his sweet metallic scent and was cascaded in an inviting warmth.  
  
"It's okay now; you don't have to be alone anymore." He whispered to her. Setsuna, indulging in a weakness long forgotten, cuddled against Duo.  
  
"But you won't be here for eternity. and I'll have to learn to live with out you-I mean, with out company. With out company again. You will not want to be here for the rest of eternity. You won't want to waste your life here. You are easily distracted anyway, your mind will tire of here and you'll leave me-you'll leave." Setsuna said, closing her eyes, thinking of the loneliness and the pain it brought. Thinking of Duo leaving. Setsuna's grip on Duo's shirt tightened. Duo smiled, not missing her slip up.  
  
"Who's to say I won't stay? You don't know me well enough to say I'm easily distracted."  
  
"It's a common mortal flaw, and-" Setsuna suddenly stopped speaking and picked up a rock from the mist, throwing it as hard as she could off to the distance. Duo's head quickly turned and watched the sudden motion. A dawning then came to his face.  
  
"That's not fair! I'm aware, not distracted!" He protested. They both laughed for a moment; it was true, she had baited him. Gathering Setsuna on his lap, Duo began stroking her cheek as she laid her head against his chest. She listened to his heart beat, alive.  
  
"So. tell me about it. about him" Duo said softly, hesitant to bring up anything that would turn her away from him. Anything that would cause her to mistrust him, close off to him. But his curiosity always won the battles of restraint. Setsuna remained silent for a moment. As she thought pain filled her eyes and a cold darkness swept through her heart. A tear slipped from her eye as she remembered.  
  
"Endless years ago. I lived in the Universe of the Nine Senshi. The Universe's worlds were bound by a treaty that called the time period the "Silver Millennium". This was at the end of the Silver Millennium, when a group of planets were falling mistrustful of the alliance, so the Moon, the center of the alliance, arranged a marriage between the Prince of the Earth and the youngest daughter of the Moon to strengthen what alliance the Moon had left. The Nine Senshi are planetary guardians. One comes from each planet and assembles at the moon. Their purpose is to protect the peace and people from evil entities like the Senshi of Earth, who ended up destroying that era after being banished. Queen Selenity feared for the future of her peaceful world slipping away. After the Senshi of Earth was banished for plans to take over the Silver Millennium, Queen Selenity showed her loyalty by planning to wed hey youngest to the prince of Earth. Serenity, the Queen's youngest daughter, fell instantly in love with the Prince of Earth. my Kind Endymion. He didn't love her the way she did him, but did love her like a younger sister. I suppose the age difference between them caused these feelings, but Serenity didn't see that.  
I came to the palace for the celebration of the new alliance between the Moon and the Earth. I was not told of the conditions of their alliance until much later. I kept Pluto distant from the Moon's tidings, so I only knew Pluto was invited to the celebration. I didn't know.  
  
{"Setsuna danced elegantly with a tall man with green hair and dark blue eyes, absorbed completely in him, unaware of the watchful eye of Prince Darien.  
  
"You've grown so much, dear Setsuna. It will bring a great loss to Pluto when Selenity will call you to the Moon for your permanent duty. We will be losing a great pillar of Pluto's foundations.  
I have been your attendant since you were three years old, and I have watched you grow. I will never have a greater pride or pleasure than my memories of your shining eyes looking up at mine. Dear Setsuna, please do not forget us, home on Pluto."  
  
The music stopped and Setsuna and her partner stopped dancing. Her eyes shimmered with tears. She lowered her head to hide her tears and hugged him tightly, smiling.  
  
"Danath. I could never forget you. You are more to me than anything I have ever held dear to me." She said, holding on tightly. He smiled warmly and kissed the top of her head. Silently they departed, Danath going to the side of the King of Pluto, Setsuna to the open balcony.  
  
Leaning on the balcony's railing Setsuna's eyes traced the stars. Endymion's presence went almost unnoticed until he stood beside her and cleared his throat to announce his presence. When both people were acknowledged, Setsuna and Endymion bowed.  
  
"I saw you dancing with that man. was he a love of yours?" Endymion asked. Setsuna smiled, thinking of the grace, the feel of Danath. Endymion cocked his head to the side, examining the ecstasy emanating from Setsuna. Something inside her was glowing, a thought inside her. She then turned her head to him, prepared with an answer.  
  
"No, Danath is not my love, he's been my guard from my earliest memories." She said, still smiling, still thinking of Danath's words. Endymion nodded, smiling a little more.  
  
"You are quite the graceful dancer, your movements were like a shadows. Absolutely graceful." He commented. Setsuna's smile didn't change. She still seemed to be thinking of something out there. Setsuna thanked him, and when nothing more was said Endymion kept talking.  
  
"Princess Serenity is quite different. Though she is a swan on the ice, she is worse than a feeble piece of wire in high heels."  
  
"You shouldn't speak offensively of the Heir to the Silver Millennium. I am sure the new alliance wouldn't treasure your remarks quite as well as you seem to." She said absent mindedly, still smiling. Endymion smirked.  
  
"Ah, but I have the bruises to prove it." He retorted. Setsuna raised her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles. Mayhaps she had a bit too much wine? Endymion reasoned, trying to understand her distant smile.  
  
"Thank you, Endymion. It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I hope you enjoy your time here." Bowing, Setsuna turned to leave. Endymion quickly grabbed her arm and turned her around, holding her body tightly to his.  
  
"Why leave so soon? Stay with me, your presence makes me smile. Please?" He asked her quietly. Setsuna's smile and brain stopped as she watched the Earth and dazzling night sky frame Endymion from behind as a gentle wind tasseled his in front of his eyes.  
  
Hesitantly, she allowed him to kiss her.  
  
Quickly the two departed, each heading for Endymion's chambers. When she stepped through the door he was waiting for her. Falling backwards onto his bed, Endymion quickly followed her down.  
  
{"I'll come to him in the night; meet him on his balcony."} Princess Serenity thought as she raced towards Endymion's chambers, and excited, romantic smile of eagerness on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Stopping to straighten her dress and hair, she caught her breath. Then, she creaked the door open and slipped into the room, where, Endymion and Lady Setsuna lay sleeping, nude together. Hatred burned in Serenity's eyes and pierced the two when her scream awoke them.  
  
..  
  
"Setsuna! This is inexcusable! You are a Senshi, how dare you conduct yourself in such a manner! How dare you disgrace us!? And Endymion! Have you broken your vow to my Daughter?! You shall be banished from this kingdom!" Queen Selenity hollered as Setsuna and Endymion knelt in front of her. Princess Serenity, who had been sitting beside Queen Selenity, then moved and knelt beside her love.  
  
"Mother. I love him, please don't banish him." Serenity said quietly. Queen Selenity immediately yielded her anger for her daughter. Her eyes eased and then filled with stress. Her most respected Senshi had slept wither daughter's betrothed. "How pleasant." She thought. Queen Selenity then sighed.  
  
"Come back here tomorrow, five sharp, and I will give you my revised decision."  
  
..  
  
"My Queen! The Gates of Time!?" Setsuna burst out as she knelt before the Queen, Endymion somber at her side.  
  
"Yes, the seal of the Gates of Time has been broken, so it must be guarded now. And you, Endymion, there is no punishment great enough fro hurting my daughter, breaking your vow. But, as a true blood royal to your mother, Queen Gaea of Earth, and as a promise to my daughter, you are no longer banished; however, if, and only if, you renounce any feelings or emotions towards Setsuna, will you be pardoned."  
  
Endymion stood up and turned to Setsuna, looking her straight in the eye. "I never felt anything for her, My Queen. I have absolutely nothing to renounce."  
  
The Queen nodded in acceptance to his claims, then turned to Setsuna. "Guards, escort her to the Gates of Time. {"Now."}  
  
As Setsuna left the Palace rounds, a voice called after her. The guards paused to let the person catch up to her. Setsuna knew the voice. She kept her back to Danath as he stood behind her, to ashamed to look at him. He smiled as he panted, waiting for his breath. {"Danath. I'm sorry."} She thought. Danath turned her around and lifted her chin with his index finger, his indigo eyes staring softly into her violet eyes.  
  
"Lady Setsuna, I don't care what you've done! I love you, please, I know I have no right nor do I deserve to do this, but." He said quickly, trying to regain his breath. Setsuna opened her mouth to apologize, but Danath quickly sealed it with a kiss. When he stepped away from her, tears freely poured down her cheeks. A single tear fell from Danath's eye as he took a step backwards. The guards then began to push Setsuna through the now open portal that would take her to the Time Gates. Then She suddenly began to struggle, thrashing until she freed an arm. Her hand shot forward, trying to grab Danath, pull him close to her.  
  
"DANATH! I-" Setsuna screamed out. The portal sealed around her before she could tell him.  
  
Danath remained before the closed portal, his head hung and shadow's over his eyes, shoulders and arms stiff. His knuckles were white as he clenched them, blood pouring from his palms. He knew what she was going to say to him.  
  
{"I love you.."}  
  
.......................................  
  
Setsuna buried her face in Duo's shirt, her shoulders trembling. She somehow choked back her tears. He placed a hand on her head, staring straight forward. Duo, afraid of asking anything that would make Setsuna say anything more that would hurt her, kept stroking her hair, fighting back his curiosity. Again, he lost.  
  
"So. what happened to Danath?" He asked quietly when Setsuna had clamed down. She held her breath for a moment, then answered.  
  
"He didn't live long. he eventually drank boiled hemlock leaves and slashed his wrists. he bled for me. in hope that we would see each other in the afterlife."  
  
"How do you know?" Duo asked faintly. Setsuna gently smiled.  
  
"I watched him everyday. there is an ability here to watch the past, present and future. My eyes never left him. The last time I cried was when he died.  
How I never told him I loved him.  
How it was too late when I realized what I felt for him was love.  
Danath knew I was always watching over him, his last words were said. to me."  
  
{"I love you Setsuna. My every thought were of you. You never left my sight. Good bye my love."}  
  
"That's what he said to me, as I watched him die." Setsuna said, her voice trembling. Again a silence passed between the two of them. Duo held her closely and Setsuna hung onto him. Her shoulders trembled and Duo knew she wanted to cry.  
  
"It's okay to cry."  
  
"I have already cried for his death."  
  
"But have you cried for yourself? For your loss? Because you never got to finish telling him that you loved him?"  
  
Setsuna buried her face in his shirt and cried. After what felt like hours she cried herself to sleep. Duo held her closely, regretting making a strong warrior cry so hard. Regretting that his presence brought her pain. {"Maybe I should leave.."} Duo thought.  
  
"I'm sorry. what kind of man am I to make such a beautiful woman cry?" He whispered, raising his head to the grey sky.  
  
..........................................  
  
"Something wicked this way comes.." A voice whispered in the depths of Setsuna's mind. "Wake up. Something wicked this way comes." Setsuna opened her eyes. Her vision was bleary with old tears. Exhausted Setsuna stood up using her staff to support her. She felt weak from all the crying. She had forgotten how stressing emotions could be. Hearing nothing but the empty wind howling through her, she looked around. Emptiness.  
  
Duo was gone.  
  
She winced, immediately feeling the pain of loneliness as tight a s a vice of steel and ice gripping her heart. The air around her smelled musty and stale, old, like something that had already been breathed before. Not like Duo's sweet metallic scent. Everything was bleak and cold. The stale wind, freezing air, the mist hovering over and coating the ground. She immediately missed Duo, immediately noticed his absence. Duo's warmth, his sweet smell, how he brought life to everything dead.  
  
Duo was gone.  
  
"Something wicked this way comes" the voice rasped at her ear again. Like a whisper in the wind, Setsuna could sense something evil near. Her eyes strained forward, trying to see through the mist. Her head pounded from crying so hard, and she felt exhausted.  
  
The mist off in the distance began to take a slouching, gangly form. Slowly it began to come closer, taking a more detailed shape. Setsuna's eyes widened with horror and disgust at the youma that straggled forth from the mist. It's left eye was hanging from it's eye socket, left fore arm was missing, and it's flesh had been burned away. Blood was dripping from it's missing arm and hanging eye. It's arms were longer than most humans, and in it's slouched stance it's hand dragged along the ground. It turned it's head to her, not ten feet away.  
  
"Who. who are you?" She called out to it, not making the first move. The demons hanging eye swiveled and looked at her.  
  
"I have no name. if you must call me something, call me Nanashi. where am I? is this hell?"  
  
"You are at the Gate's of Time, Youma, take your leave now, or I shall be forced to destroy you." Setsuna said, trying not to show her fatigue. The Youma's eye looked her over, then turned furious. The demon howled in rage, and began sputtering and screeching in it's native tongue. Recognizing it, Setsuna was only able to under stand a few sentences.  
  
"You're one of those damn Senshi! You people burned my flesh and electrocuted my bones! Bastards! I'll kill every one of you!" The demon then ran at her, charging. It lifted its hand from the mist, revealing long thick claws. Setsuna yelled out in surprise as the Youma tackled her. She hit the ground hard, her staff flying from her hand. She grabbed the demon by the shoulders and tried to throw it off of her, but it slammed her back into the ground.  
  
"I'll kill you all! Stupid bitch! I'll taint you! I'll rape you!" It screamed at her in a blinded furry.  
  
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was going to do to her. It was going to rape her, then kill her. It began slashing away at her Senshi fuku, cutting her skin deeply. She screamed out in pain as it slashed her again. She opened her panicked eyes to look into one hanging eyeball, hatefully glaring into her own. She knew what it was going to do next, horror filled her eyes. She closed her eyes. Suddenly, the youma limply fell on top her, and then was lifted off of her completely. She opened her eyes to see Duo leaning over her, worried violet eyes staring into her panicked violet eyes. He reached down and pulled her up into his arms. She smiled faintly, hearing his voice say something to her before her vision blacked out.  
  
.......................................  
  
Slowly vision flooded back to Setsuna. She was lying on the ground, her head propped up on something. Her gaze looked up and she saw Duo again, smiling meekly down at her, worry still hiding in his eyes. She smiled at him.  
  
"Duo, I'd thought you left me." She said, her vice sounding much weaker than she wanted.  
  
He shook his head and touched her cheek. "I would never leave. I just. kinda. went exploring while you slept. I was feelin kinda guilty for making you cry. so I went to look for something to bring you back. uh, I couldn't find anything. This place really is barren. oh, I heard you scream, so I ran back. How do you feel?"  
  
"Duo. that's so sweet.I'm glad you didn't leave. How bad do I look?"  
  
"I've seen better." He said trying to give a smile. She smiled up at him.  
  
"I think I feel as bad as I look." She said, trying to sit up. She winced at the pain of the deep gashes on her abdomen, and lowered herself back down. Duo's expression changed, and Setsuna could tell he was trying to bring some humor to the situation. It didn't matter what he would say next; she would smile at it.  
  
"Nice out fit, Babe." He said, smirking at her. Setsuna then remembered the garb she was wearing was slashed to almost nothing. She laughed, and forced herself to standup. Duo immediately stood by her side as well. Her legs unwounded Setsuna, found she could stand if she leaned against her staff. But her staff was lying on the ground to her left; She was leaning against Duo, who smiled over to her.  
  
"Here, I am going to de-transform out of my fuku, close your eyes."  
  
"Why?" he pondered.  
  
"So I can re-transform into a new fuku."  
  
"I could figure that out Holmes, but why close my eyes?" He asked, smirking.  
  
"I think you know damn well, Watson." She said, trying not to laugh as he raised his eyebrows. Duo sighed, then closed his eyes. Setsuna de- transformed, losing her clothing. Her body shivered in the cold, and Setsuna briefly wrapped her arms around herself. She winced, remembering her body was covered in scars.  
  
"Cold, eh?" Duo's voice then suddenly piped up. Setsuna thwapped Duo on his head and then re transformed into a new fuku. She tried to glare at his innocent face.  
  
"C'mon, I couldn't help but to peep, you should have known that!" He laughed. The two then sat down again.  
  
"How come you aren't bleeding anymore?" he asked, suddenly noticing that her wounds weren't open.  
  
"My wounds heal with time, and time passes very quickly here."  
  
"Is that why you have so many scars?" He said, his voice changing to a softer tone. She nodded.  
  
"But I've never had someone like you here with me to distract me from the pain. "Thank you. Hey, how did you kill the Youma?" Setsuna asked, suddenly remembering before she had passed out. Duo laughed in response.  
  
"Well, first, you must remember that I am Shinigami. Kay, got that?" Setsuna nodded, humoring him.  
  
"Well, I touched it, I absorbed his life. Hey! Stop laughing! Look! The body's right over there!" Duo said indignantly, pointing to their left. Setsuna looked at him skeptically, then moved over to where the skinless {dead} youma was lying. After examining the body she found a black hand print on it's back. Setsuna turned back to Duo, eyes wide.  
  
"You are the real Shinigami?!"  
  
A.N: Okies all, first chapter done! Many more to come, well, maybe three or four, and I don't guarantee that they will all be this long. You guys like it? I love it. Tell me, EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT ABUOT THIS STORY. EVERYTHING I SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Ahem*, thank you. I love this story and have so much planned for it! I love Duo.... *drools on herself*.. I think he would be good in bed too.. Lots of experience^^.  
  
Well, later all, I gotta a lot of stuff to write, no time for idle chit chat!  
  
AuF Wiederzehen! 


	2. Shinigami ashamed

Intruder at the Gates  
Chapter 2  
  
"You're the real Shinigami?" Setsuna said, turning from the dead youma to Duo, who grinned back sheepishly, laughing nervously.  
  
"I may run and hide but I'll never tell a lie!" He said overly chipper. His eyes then turned to the ground and he shuffled his foot over the mist, causing it to swirl apart. "Well... err, technically... I was." He then muttered. Duo expected laughter, but instead a cool soft hand touched his cheek. Placing his hand on Setsuna's her looked up into her soft crystalline eyes.  
  
"Your turn." She said softly, her eyes glistening as violet eye saw violet eye. Duo laughed bitterly, his expression turning grim.  
  
"Well... it's kinda... painful." He said. The joy in his voice was gone. Setsuna smile gently, understanding. She pulled her hand away from his cheek, her finger tips stroking his soft skin as they left. Duo then took her hand back and replaced it back onto his cheek.  
  
"Alright, I'll tell, but only if you keep your hand there." He said quietly.  
  
"Duo, I'm not going to make you talk about something that hurts you. I'd rather see you smile and laugh."  
  
"But you told me your memories. I want to share mine with you."  
  
Setsuna and Duo sat together on the ground, their backs against the Time Gates. Duo put his arm around her, pulling her close as Setsuna rested her head beneath his chin, listening to the steady beat of his heart. She raised her hand and stroked Duo's cheek.  
  
"I used to be Shinigami... then after an incident I was banished from Hell-can ya believe that one?-to live a mortal life. Except, as a cruel hindrance, the new master of Hell had me keep my powers of death and immortality; I just didn't keep the job the powers came with. At first I couldn't touch anyone because any contact with anyone would kill the person instantly. Even plants shriveled under my touch. I can't begin to tell you how many centuries it took for me to regain control of over my "touch of Death" it became known as."  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
"Master Shinigami, what ails you? You've been so... depressed lately. It's very unusual for you; you always seemed to take such joy in the torture of others. Has their eternal suffering lost its humor?" A small Cherub said as he stood next Duo's throne. Yawning, Duo stretched his arms and leather wings.  
  
"Yes Lucifer, everything is so... empty. All humans are going die, it doesn't matter what they become or what they do with their lives. Nothing can make them immortal, their lives are meaningless; why wake up to such a pitiful existence day after day? And you'd think death would be the final comfort, that after living such a painful and long life; death would come and be a final rest, the end to one's suffering. But no, there is an afterlife; you have to keep living, either in bliss or extreme and endless torture. The afterlife seems so... cruel." Duo said, not giving Lucifer the Cherub any time to answer the rhetorical questions. The Cherub seemed uncomfortable listening to his Master's supposedly missing heart. Lucifer was about leave, but Duo spoke again:  
  
"I think I shall go up to the mortal realm; walking amongst them always makes me smile."  
  
"Yes Master Shinigami, but they only make you smile because you already know of their painful and untimely deaths; The Heavens always get so mad when you tell the humans their fates. It spoils the surprise y' know." The Cherub grunted. Duo sighed.  
  
"Even so..." Duo said, his shoulders sagging. His wings disappearing, Duo faded into the mortal realm.  
  
The sun shining its brightest on a summer blue sky, Duo squinted and smile. It was a lot cooler in this world, yet he could still feel the warm sun light on his body. Walking to his favorite spot, a park bench, Duo sat and just watched the people walk by, going about their lives. Living. It was such a contrast to death. Time passed by as Duo sat, enjoying the life. He didn't notice when a young woman came up and sat next to him. She sat silently for a moment, searching for what ever Duo was looking at. She had been observing him for a while behind a tree, trying to figure out what ever he was doing. Tiring of sitting back and watching, the woman decided to take action. Fed up with the silence, she spoke.  
  
"Hi. Whatcha doin'?" Her voice was young and sugary, full of curiosity and life. She snapped Duo out of his trance. He glanced didn't move.  
  
"I'm watching everyone live their lives." Duo said simply. And such a simple sentence aroused more curiosity in her.  
  
"Why? Don't you have or work or something? I mean, you have a life too, don't you?" She asked. Duo laughed bitterly, reclining in his seat.  
  
"I don't live here, and I'm on a vacation from my job. And I watch them... because they are all sheep; just going through the motions of life, only to die. It doesn't matter what they achieve, they're still goin to die. I used to jest at them, but now it only makes me feel empty. I'm here to recover what ever I'm missing." Duo then turned to her, looking at her for the first time. "What's your name?"  
  
"Hilde, Hilde Schbeiker. And yours?" She asked, her voice almost as chipper as Duo's used to be. He smiled lightly, not to sure he really wanted to talk to anyone. Solitude was never his favorite thing, but sometimes it was pleasant.  
  
"Name's Duo Maxwell. Pleasure to meet ya." He said, finally deciding company was in order. "I mean, I don't have too many friends in Hell after all." He thought. She smiled at him and laughed, quickly standing up. Hilde grabbed Duo's hand and jerked him to his feet. Duo was unbalanced at first, but in a moment of saving grace he righted himself instead of falling on Hilde.  
  
"C'mon! I'm hungry, let's grab something to eat!" Her bubbly voice sang out. Duo smiled, laughing. "Am I smiling? I was so depressed moments ago..." He thought as he followed Hilde...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
"For a week I hung around Hilde, hung around Earth. Her smile made all the dark and depth of Hell lessen; soon I found myself falling in love with her. After my week with her, I had to return to my duties as Shinigami. Every chance I got I went up and visited her. The last night I stayed with her... when I awoke and saw her body cuddled up to mine underneath silk sheets, I knew I had found the reason people lived. Later that day I returned to Hell, and I can't compare the pain I felt then to anything now...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo sat on his throne reviewing the list of souls he was to condemn. A line of ghostly figures stood before him, awaiting the price of their sins. Duo's eyes scanned to the next name on his list, and the name his eyes found froze his blood. He looked up from his list to see Hilde at the front of the line of souls. She looked confused, frightened and bewildered. When she saw Duo her eyes widened and brimmed with tears.  
  
Duo leaped from his throne and down to Hilde, throwing his arms around her. Hilde began to cry hysterically.  
  
"I don't know what's going on Duo! I was in my Taurus suit one moment, now I'm here, everything hurts, Duo, am I dead? Duo, help me!" She cried. Hilde then saw his Demon wings and backed away, even more bewildered than before. Duo eyes were wide. No. Not his love. Not his reason for living. She wasn't going to suffer in Hell. Duo then tightened his grip on her and disappeared, away and out of Hell.  
  
When Hilde opened her eyes, she was laying in the arms of Duo, her smoldering Taurus suit next to her. Duo's eyes shimmered down at her.  
  
"Duo...?" she began. Duo laughed his bitter laugh.  
  
"Eh... sorry about that... I suppose I should explain this to you, hm?" He said. The two stood up and left the battle scene. They went to the security of Hilde's apartment, were for a moment there wasn't anything going on. Duo stood by the door, tense. Hilde collapsed onto the floor when they entered, to confused to do anything else.  
  
"Duo... was I dead?"  
  
Duo bit his lip. "Yes... I guess you were meant to die in that battle... but I can't let you die... I can't let you go to hell... I won't be able to stay here long, I'll have to explain myself to the Heavens... but I won't let that happen to you, love. Please, stay here." He said, his voice soft.  
  
"Wha-? Why?" She asked as Duo opened the door to leave. He turned back to her and smiled.  
  
"Because I love you, Hilde." He said, then left, shutting the door behind himself. Hilde then jumped to her feet and ran to the door, flinging it open. No one was there...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
"After I left, I was taken to the heavens to explain my actions..." Duo said to Setsuna, who listened raptly.  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo stood in a blinding light. He wasn't sure what ground was beneath him; he felt none. There were no walls, ceiling, or anything; just blinding light. Trying to shield his eyes form the light, Duo raised his arm in front of his eyes. A powerful deep voice then spoke:  
  
"Shinigami: Explain yourself now!" It echoed. Duo winced, knowing he had acted rashly.  
  
"Heavens... I can't bear to see Hilde Schbeiker dead, let alone in Hell-"  
  
"Why?" The Heavens said, cutting Duo off and getting straight to the point. Duo was at a loss for words at first, but thinking of Hilde Duo could find them.  
  
"I love her; I cannot bear to see her suffering, Heavens." After Duo gave his explanation, the Heavens roared with a deep laughter. A mocking laughter.  
  
"So are you going to make her suffer through Immortality? Are you going to force her to live your life? Immortal and hollow?" The Heavens taunted. A tear slipped down Duo's cheek. He had no words to defend the Heavens' allegations. Nothing to back him up, except for his love...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
"Hilde...?" Duo voice said softly. Hilde quickly stood up and turned around, her eyes rejoicing to see Duo. Then, immediately she noticed Duo's eyes were somber; he looked pale and despairing.  
  
"Duo, what's wrong?"  
  
"I talked to the Heavens... I bargained with them... I'm so sorry, Hilde, I cannot spare your life... but... You aren't going to Hell. Heaven awaits you, my love." He said, not looking her in the eye. Hilde then ran forward and threw her arms around Duo, crying. Duo pulled away from her.  
  
"How can you love me... knowing I'm Shinigami? That I'm Death?" He said, his voice sounded agonized. She smiled lightly, wiping tears away.  
  
"I don't care who you are, or what you've done; I love you Duo, even if you are Death." She said, putting her arms around him again. Her hands then were coated in blood that was dripping down Duo's back. Her eyes looked up at him.  
  
"Duo, Wha-"  
  
"I am no longer Shinigami; the Heavens cut off my wings and I have been stripped of my position. Hilde, I am so sorry, I-"  
  
Hilde then cut him off. "Shhhh. Duo, I love you, für immer und ewerkeit..." She whispered to him in her native tongue. Her body then faded, taking her soul to Heaven. Duo stiffened in her apartment, alone. Tears streaked down his face...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo covered his eyes with his hand as Setsuna leaned against him. Duo stifled his cries and covered his tears. Setsuna put her arms around Duo, unable to find anything to say to comfort him. Duo then pulled his hand away from his face and looked down at her, eyes still wet with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Setsuna whispered, not meeting his gaze. Duo gave out a weak laugh.  
  
"It's alright, it's long since passed. Love lost, love gone. I've gotten over it, though I still suppose it stings like an open wound. You know?" He said, drying his face with his sleeve, smiling again. Setsuna nodded, remembering Danath. Love lost, love gone.  
  
"So what did you do with after being banished from Hell?" Setsuna asked. Duo laughed again, though this time his laughter was joyful. It was just like Duo.  
  
"I joined the war and met my four friends. We live in a safe house with huge mechas; Gundams, we call em'. The war is over now, so we're like directionless college students with nothing to do but random odd jobs. It's a fun life; I'd like you to meet them." He said, standing up and pulling Setsuna to her feet. "Now, I have one last question for you; albeit slightly off topic, but we can deal, I'm sure. When you were telling me your memories, you mentioned something: You said something like, "I kept Pluto distant from the Moon's tidings". What did that mean?"  
  
Setsuna smile lightly. "When I was born the mark of Pluto glowed on my forehead; the people of Pluto mistook the symbol of the Senshi for the symbol of royalty. Then Queen Selenity came forth with her information of the Senshi and they began training me for my duty as planet guardian instead. That's how I met Danath, actually." She said smiling more brightly, looking into Duo's eyes as she spoke. "Now, what did you mean by, "I'd like you to meet them"?" She asked.  
  
"Just what I said. I want you to meet my friends; explore my world and the things I know." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist...  
  
A.N.: Hello all! Wow, you guys seemed to like this huh? Yeah, for the most part you guys did. You guys who said you didn't like some of the decisions I had Setsuna make, like sleeping with Mamarou, or sleeping at the gates, you need to think outside the box here. Yes, normally Setsuna would never do those things, but she never had anyone to tempt her before either. And yeah, Endymion wasn't punished; yeah, that's unfair, but that's a part of life. Good happens to bad people, bad happens to good people. It's unjust and unfair, but some people get away with murder, and others don't. YOU GUYS GOTTA THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. So there. Other than that, THANKS SO MUCH I LOVE OYU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay, Duo's chapter is out! I love him so much! Oh hey, read my new not yet posted Harry Potter fic, "Chocolate Box Angel". My friend and I are in a competition to see who gets more reviews, the winner gets a cookie; I wanna cookie! It'll be a sweet one shot Valentine's Day fic, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T LOSE, I JUST CAN'T!!!!!!!! I WILL SEND EACH OF YOU A COOKIE IF YOU REVIEW MY H&H FIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It'll be under Romance/R, Luinfirithiel, you get the idea. PLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! I wuv you... 


	3. Goin' Home, But not Without a Parting Gi...

Intruder at the Gates3; "Goin' Home, But Not With a Parting Gift"  
  
"What? Duo... I can't leave. I don't belong in any other world; I don't {exist} in any other world." Setsuna said quietly.  
  
"So, you've never left this place before?" Duo said dejectedly. He tried to hide his disappointment, but it was evident.  
  
"No, I have... but only on a need-to basis. I can't just leave this place for pleasure, it is my duty." Setsuna said softly as her eyes fell deeply and irreversibly into Duo's eyes. She hated to see him so sad. It looked wrong on him, that only a smile should be there. And oddly, Duo's eyes brightened as he thought.  
  
"But you can leave then, right? I mean, you would feel it if something was going down here, wouldn't you? Yeah? If you can return anytime, then come back with me. Please?" Duo watched her violet eyes change from soft, unsure, to void.  
  
"All right, I'll go with you." She said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Duo smiled, assuring Setsuna of her decision. His smile was warm as he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. To that, she loved, resting her head against his chest. Standing in his arms, listening to Duo's rhythmic heart beat, Setsuna began to feel stronger in her decision. Something about listening to the life of his heart, knowing and feeling another life... was such a comparison to all the bleak death that was the Time Gates. It was comforting to know her life wasn't alone. Duo was right; she didn't have to be alone anymore. And to him Setsuna felt she owed him her heart. Breathing in Duo's sweet metallic scent, she lifted her gaze to his; a single, unsure tear fell. Duo's large hand gently touched her cheek, caressing the tear and worry away.  
  
"It'll be all right, trust me." He said softly.  
  
"When will we leave...?" She asked, smiling.  
  
"Now's never the better!" He said, always happy. Setsuna nodded and left the safety of Duo's arms, walking over to the gate. She lifted here staff and placed the end in a key hole, turning the staff. The doors slowly creaked open as Setsuna pulled away her garnet staff. Duo walked up behind her and looped an arm around Setsuna's waist. Such a perfect fit.  
  
"How will we find your dimension?"  
  
Duo laughed. "I found this place on accident, I'm sure I can "accidentally" find our way back!" Setsuna laughed with him as the Gate shut behind them, locking. Standing deserted, a hollow wind blew through the gate.  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
"Heero, it's been four days and Duo still hasn't come back from the grocery store! Something must have happened!" Quatre fretted as he paced behind the couch that Heero placidly sat on. Heero's eyes briefly flickered from his lap top to Quatre, then back again.  
  
"He must have been captured by the enemy." Heero said flatly. Wufei, sitting alone in a large red armoire chair, polishing his katana, snorted.  
  
"Wake up Yui, tha war is over. He wasn't captured; Maxwell must have simply been robbed by a couple whores and dumped by the side of some road. He'll find his way home eventually. Don't worry." Wufei grunted. Quatre's attention was then snagged by Trowa's silence.  
  
Trowa sat in silence in a separate chair, eyes focused on the newspaper in front of him. Trowa's eyes didn't move, his mouth didn't open, but still the platinum haired man nodded in acknowledgment.  
  
"Yes Trowa, I agree. Duo is a bit more responsible than that. He would actually be more likely to bring the prostitutes home." Quatre said.  
  
The four pilots heard a door downstairs open the slam shut. Duo was home. The four all turned their attention and gaze to the door, waiting for it to swing open and their cheery friend to poke his head through the door. Just as predicted, the door creaked open, and Duo's head made and appearance.  
  
"Hiya! I'm back guys, and you won't believe who I have with me!" His excited voice chirped at them. They rolled their eyes at the redundancy of the conversation not minutes earlier.  
  
"Duo, we've told you before, no more prostitutes! This isn't the place for that!" Quatre said, trying to sound firm. Duo leveled his eyes at them in a steep glare.  
  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. I mean, really. Noooooo, she's not a hooker, she's far more important than that. Guys, may I introduce you to Setsuna!" Duo almost sang as he opened the door the rest of the way, revealing a slightly uncomfortable guardian of time. Quatre naturally greeted her warmly; Trowa nodded to her, Wufei grunted and Heero ignored her. It was Duo's turn to roll his eyes. He then took Setsuna by the hand and led her to his room.  
  
"Aight', let's get you out of that Senshi fuku and into normal time cloths!" Duo said as he rummaged through his dresser drawers. He pulled out a red silk blouse, then left the room for a moment. When Duo returned he carried a pair of black jeans that had once belonged to one of Quatre's sisters. Setsuna then thanked Duo, taking the cloths and changed in a bathroom. When she came out Duo beamed. The pants fit perfectly and the blouse looked great.  
  
"Apologies for how my pals acted, they don't exactly know how to talk to people. I shoulda' briefed you on them before I introduced you to them. Heero is... well... I don't know, but Quatre is actually fine, Wufei is a sexist... something to do with a dead wife... and Trowa is just quiet. He doesn't use words anymore since we all understand what his silence means. I really thought I was psychic for a while. But... uh... I'm not."  
  
Setsuna laughed. "It's fine Duo." She said. Her eyes then analyzed him for a brief moment. "They don't know you're Shinigami, do they Duo?" Duo seemed surprised, but then laughed.  
  
"Heh, nope. I guess I like it that way though. How'd you know?"  
  
"I would think that any mortal would have some fear or respect for the Grim Reaper, eh? I mean, from what I've heard so far." She said stepping over to Duo. She gently placed her hand on Duo's cheeks. "Why? How could you be happy with that?"  
  
"Well", Duo said as he placed his hand over Setsuna's, "they're all so... tense, high strung and stiff. Before I met them, they didn't laugh, and after the war, they needed one. Something to relax them. Or someone to jest at or vent on. So why be another serious war vet? That's the last thing they need, aside form another war."  
  
Setsuna smiled at him and removed her hands from his cheek as Wufei's angry voice summoned them to dinner. "Lead the way..." She said lightly. Duo smiled at her, took her hand and found the way to the dining room.  
  
When they arrived, another woman was seated beside Heero. For a while they dined in silence, unsure of the new face. Quatre despised the lack of friendliness.  
  
"So... Miss Setsuna... we never introduced you to Miss Relena. She's the queen of Earth. Miss Relena, this is Miss Setsuna." Quatre said timidly. Relena sniffed and raised her nose to the air. Setsuna scowled. No one could {ever} replace her Queen Serenity. This was just some politic. The two women exchanged no words. Dejectedly, Quatre tried again for more conversation.  
  
"So... Miss Setsuna... what do you do for a living?" he asked. Duo quickly perked up form his meal.  
  
"She's a—  
  
"Fashion designer." Setsuna quickly interjected, cutting Duo off. Now Relena looked interested.  
  
"Oh really? Could you make me an outfit for my next meeting tomorrow? Or better yet, you could make me an entire wardrobe!" Relena said quickly, suddenly smiling and taking interest and holding out her hand. Setsuna scowled at her, unable to see her fit to be queen of anything. She didn't meet Relena's hand, but instead gave her an icy stare.  
  
"I have more pressing things to do than to dress you." Her voice was like steel. Relena was outraged at the impudence of this foreigner.  
  
"Heero! How dare you let her address me like that! Shoot her, shoot her!" She squealed, adopting a high pitch, whiny voice. Duo glanced around nervously as he saw Heero's hand reflexively move towards his gun. Quickly standing up Duo pulled Setsuna up with her.  
  
"Well, dinner was great Q-tip, we'll be off now." Duo said, his voice slightly panicky. He slipped an arm around Setsuna's waist and quickly escorted her form the dinning room to his bedroom.  
  
"Hey, what's with the eyes of steel? Huh?"  
  
"Relena is no queen. My princess Serenity is the only Queen of Earth. Relena is just a politic, not fit to be a leader."  
  
Duo laughed. "Don't get all defensive, aight'? Yeah, Relena's not the world's greatest, but she's all we got. So make nice? Huh?"  
  
Setsuna couldn't help but a little smile. "Sorry, I'll try." She leaned against Duo, placing her head under his chin, breathing in his sweet metallic scent. She closed her eyes as Duo wrapped his arms around her. Her eyelids suddenly felt heavy. Managing the transition between the Time Gates and the time of a reality was a bitch.  
  
Duo's heart suddenly began pounding in his head. Slowly, Duo lowered his head to kiss her, but stopped. Setsuna had drifted off into a slumber. He smiled, holding her to him. He could feel her breath against his heart. Her hand loosely gripped his shirt, her head to his heart. Setsuna's hair was falling out of it's bun. Duo let all of her hair down. He green hair swept in front of her face, emphasizing the pale colour of her skin. The moment was perfect to Duo, perfect in his arms. Sad to break the moment, yet sure she would wake up in pain, Duo swept her off of her feet and placed her on his bed. Almost hesitantly, Duo lay down behind her, draping an arm over her waist. Soon Duo's mind had wandered off into his own dreamland...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Setsuna lifted her weighted eyelids, her bleary violet eyes gazing around the foreign darkness. She felt her warm long hair cascading around her. She pondered briefly that her hair was down, and then sat up. Duo's hand that had gone unnoticed then slid from her waist down her thigh. Her eyes followed the arm to Duo, sleeping peacefully behind her. Blushing slightly, Setsuna quickly stood up and left the room. Wandering aimlessly through the mansion she came to a closed door with a faint glow of light behind it. Gently wrapping on the door, Setsuna stepped inside the room.  
  
It was the kitchen much to Setsuna's stomach's pleasure. Over to her left were cabinets, a sink, refrigerator, and a table. To her right was a fluffy red armoire and a couch, a low glass coffee table between the couch and chair. On the couch sat a placid Trowa, reading a book, a small porcelain tea cup perfectly balanced on his knee. His gentle green eyes looked p and met hers.  
  
"Hello." He said simply. Setsuna gave him smile and nod, then walked over to the stove.  
  
"May I make some tea?" She asked, not wanting to intrude upon their home.  
  
"Of course, I've already made some Yerba Mate if you're interested. Join me." Trowa said, his voice tone warming up a bit. Pouring herself a cup of tea Setsuna took a seat on the chair and crossed her legs. A comfortable silence passed between them. Something did plague each of their minds though.  
  
"You care strongly for Duo, don't you?" Trowa said, ending the silence.  
  
Setsuna thought for a moment, then answered. "Well... I've been around many people... no one I have ever met is like him... no one has ever before made me feel comfortable. Like for a moment, I can forget who I am, or the things I have to do or have done. And he makes me laugh... laugh at nothing at all sometimes. Though... he was never the type of person I saw myself spending the rest of my life with... if ever at all." She said finally.  
  
"Who then?" Trowa asked. Setsuna looked away fro a moment, then back at him.  
  
"Well, maybe this is bold of me to say, someone like you. I mean that with no implications, of course."  
  
Trowa's eyes flickered with surprise for an instant, then returned to monotone. Nothing more was said as the two finished their tea, again lapsing into comfortable silence...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo's eye twitched, then he rolled over to an empty space. His eyes then finally opened remembering the spot where Setsuna used to lay. He got up, his mind still fuzzy form sleep and wandered down the hall. Hearing a clang of metal Duo began in the direction of the noise that obtruded the silence of night. When Duo came to the closed door he could hear Wufei grunting as more metal sounded. Grinning, Duo barged in, taking the angry pilot by surprise. Wufei was practicing with his katana against a positioned manikin.  
  
"Hey Wufei, what's goin' on?"  
  
"Hello Maxwell, why are you here—did you really just call me by my full name?" Wufei said wide eyed, setting down his katana. "What's wrong?" Duo blinked, surprised with himself.  
  
"Well, I did just wake up. Write it off as sleepiness then. Nothing's wrong, have you seen Setsuna?"  
  
Wufei furrowed his brow and analyzed Duo for a quick moment. "Duo, how much does this mean to you?"  
  
Again Duo blinked. "I dunno really. I mean, when we first met I had no idea who she was. But soon, as she talked to me, her eyes opened up and I saw her life in them. And... as I stayed with her, I knew, no, I know, all I wanted was to dry her tears and hold her forever. Make her steel face smile. But... she's not the person I saw myself spending the rest of my life with. I never even imagined loving a person after Hilde. I thought I would always be with someone already happy and bubbly, already smiling. I don't know now..."  
  
"I too thought I would never fall in love with a woman like Nataku. I wanted a placid wife, not some woman running around in battles. And though I haven't fallen in love with anyone else yet, that doesn't mean I never will. My love for this new woman will just be a different love than my love for Nataku. But... you are second guessing yourself Duo. Never do that or you'll live in regret. Be careful Duo... I... I'm... here for you." Wufei said, spitting out his last sentence as thought it pained him to say.  
  
Duo smiled. "Thanks Wu-wu, I'll see ya 'round." Leaving Wufei with his training Duo wandered down the hall towards the kitchen. {"Either love... or not... I don't know... maybe I'm scared to love after Hilde died. Maybe I still miss her bubbly personality."} Duo thought as he walked. And while lost within his thoughts, Duo suddenly bumped into some one. He saw a flash of blond and immediately thought Quatre, but then Quatre never wore his platinum hair in two odangos. And Quatre wasn't a woman either. Say, who was this?  
  
A scared girl with long golden hair pulled into odangos looked up at him with large blue eyes. She let a sound that resembled the noise "eeep" and backed up a bit. Duo blinked for the third time in confusion.  
  
"Um... can I help you?" He asked. The girl looked down, scuffled her foot over the dark carpet, then looked up at him with big, innocent eyes.  
  
"Um... I'm looking for Setsuna. I was told by... Diana... that she would be here... ................  
  
A.N.: Woooohoooo! Finished chapter 3! Only two more to go! Sorry again this took so long guys, I hope you all are still interested. Well, good night, sleep now.............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 


	4. Sweet Kiss

Intruder at the Gates 4:  
Sweet Kiss  
  
"What's your name there?" Duo asked the innocent looking stranger. Her purple eyes looked up into his, innocence and happiness shining. For one second, Duo saw Hilde, smile up at him.  
  
"Uh, Usagi, but all my friends call me bunny, so, call me bunny!"  
  
Duo smiled down at her. "Name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. I may run and hide, but I'll never tell a lie. You can call me... Duo. Yeah, Duo works."  
  
"It's a pleasure Duo!" Usagi said curtsying. She then looked around slightly unsure. "Um, I was told by Diana that Setie-chan is here... um, Setsuna, I mean. Is she?"  
  
Duo smiled at her again. "Yeah, I think I just heard her voice in the kitchen. Hey, you hungry?"  
  
"Yeah! I mean, oops, Um..." Usagi stuttered, embarrassed at her ever present apatite. Duo laughed as she blushed, staring at the ground while scuffing her foot over the floor.  
  
"Great, c'mon...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo quickly swung the kitchen door wide open, startling both Trowa and Setsuna, though it wasn't Duo's presence that made Setsuna pale. She dropped her tea cup and her lips briefly parted in surprise and lack of words.  
  
"Serenity... I... 'm so sorry for leaving my post... I—  
  
"I don't care about that Setie-chan, I've always encouraged you to take a break. But I—"Usagi then suddenly burst into tears and flung her body forward, wrapping her arms around Setsuna. Setsuna wrapped her arms around the crying queen, further surprised, but it didn't take her long to find words.  
  
"Serenity, what's the matter, what's hurting you?"  
  
"Mamarou... he, I found him with another girl... in bed! The {He} broke up with me!" Usagi sobbed. Setsuna held Usagi as she cried, fully capable of understanding the world of hurt Usagi felt. That bastard, she'd kill him. Duo was then overtaking with a strong sympathy for the new girl. He walked over to the two women and rubbed Usagi's back, a look in his eyes that Setsuna hadn't seen when she was crying in Duo's arms back at the gates. A look deeper than anything Duo had given her. Then suddenly remembering what was more important, she brushed it off and soothed Usagi's tears. When Usagi eventually cried herself to sleep, Duo picked her up and carried her to a guest room, gently laying her on the bed. He then turned to Setsuna, sighing. Duo wanted to know if Setsuna wanted her own room as well, or if she would sleep with him in his bed again. He wanted her to stay with him, but couldn't find a way to ask her with out sounding perverted.  
  
"So... I guess you'll want to go to your room now then... it is an ungodly hour of the morning. You'll want to sleep, yeah?" Duo asked. Setsuna's eyes seemed to dim after he said that. She wanted to spend time with him again. Lowering her eyes to the ground, a similar action to her heart, she wrapped her arms around herself and nodded.  
  
"Yeah... sure..." She said simply, trying not to let her emotions through to her voice. Oops. Too late.  
  
"You all right?" Duo asked, giving her a questioning look. Setsuna looked up and smiled.  
  
"Yes, just tired."  
  
Nodding Duo then led her to another guest room, told her how to get to Usagi's room, the bathroom, the kitchen, and finally his room. She nodded and disappeared behind her door, softly shutting it behind her. Setsuna leaned against the closed door for a minute, reflecting on Usagi's entrance. Then, after changing into a nightgown left on the bed for her by Quatre, Setsuna laid on her cloudlike bed, and empty feeling settling in her chest and all around her. Her heart ached as she felt how large the room was, how empty the bed was. She was spending another night alone, and there was someone she wanted to be spending it with. The room quickly grew darker and larger as she lay on the bed, alone.  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo fell backward onto his bed, shirt off and pants unbuttoned. When he had entered his room he had left the light off. Rolling onto his side Duo went to rest and arm around Setsuna's perfect waist. Only, she wasn't there, leaving behind only an empty space. Duo suddenly missed how perfectly Setsuna fit in his arms, how her head rested perfectly under his chin. And it was his fault she wasn't with him now.  
  
Slowly the hours crept passed, nothing going on but the conflict inside Duo's head. Go to her, or stay put. Then, breaking the stillness Duo heard Usagi sobbing from across the hall. He got up and quickly went to her door, gently wrapped on the door and waited for a response. When nothing came, he slowly opened the door and slipped in. He wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Hey, Shhhh, it's all right." Duo cooed to Usagi. She had let her odangos down, her golden hair streaming down all around her light the moonlight from the open window. Her hair fell down from her head like water, her skin glowing pale under the moonlight. Beautiful like a goddess. Duo sat beside Usagi, arms around her as she cried into his shoulder. Duo was then overcome by the urge to somehow dry Usagi's tears, mend her heart and fix that bubbly smile. Son Duo too succumbed to that which was called sleep.  
  
............................................................................ .................................................................  
  
Setsuna glanced out the window to the sun cresting over the horizon. She smiled, knowing it was a rare beauty that never occurred at the bleak Gates of Time. Unable to give into her dependency of Duo's comforting arms, but also unable to give into sleep, she had yet to close her eyes. By this point in Setsuna's life, she no longer needed clocks; she could just tell what time it was by feeling. Already knowing it was five thirty am she decided to get a shower and walk around. When she walked out of the bathroom, a towel around her, Quatre had already laid cloths down on her bed for her. Once dressed, Setsuna set out for Duo. When she arrived at Duo's opened door, she found that he wasn't there. {'All right, I'll go wake up Serenity.'} She thought, slightly disappointed at Duo's absence.  
  
And as Setsuna watched Duo and Usagi sleeping serenely, her day and heart darkened despite the beautiful shining day. All the warm rays of light the sun could radiate could not warm Setsuna's heart, could not even begin to reach her; so very far away, like a distant memory of what it was like to be happy. When Duo began to stir, waking form his slumber Setsuna receded to the kitchen. Again, Trowa was already boiling some tea, sitting comfortable on the couch. When she entered the tea kettle began whistling and Trowa looked up. He saw in her eyes the darkness and cold that was suffocating her; immediately he wanted to remedy what caused her ill.  
  
"Good morning." He said, his voice warmer than the usual. Warm enough to scathe the surface of Setsuna's heart, of her day. She looked up form her thoughts, slightly surprised, and forced a smile.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there Trowa. How are you?" She said, trying to sound the sweetness over her bitter.  
  
"Fine, and yourself?"  
  
"I'm all right, thank you."  
  
"Help yourself to some tea."  
  
"Sure, thanks."  
  
Their words to each other were short lived, but to each it was their own comfort. They lapsed into silence, simply enjoying the others presence. Until, that is, a laughing Duo and Usagi bounced into the kitchen.  
  
"I know, I could eat like, a dozen pancakes!" Usagi giggled. Her voice was sweet, yet her eyes were still sad. And Setsuna could tell Duo saw this as well. Duo laughed with her, agreeing. The two greeted Setsuna and Trowa warmly then headed fort he stove. And though their voices were warm and friendly, only Duo's warmth reached Setsuna's cold skin deeply, retrieving her soul from it's frozen hell.  
  
Setsuna smiled back, her smile genuine. "Hello. Feeling better Serenity?" Usagi giggled again and nodded.  
  
"Since I woke up I haven't stopped laughing!" She lied. Duo said nothing as his gaze rested on Setsuna. She had left her hair down and dressed in a blood red turtle neck knit sweater and dark blue jeans. Her violet eyes met his, softened, and then moved on.  
  
Between the four only idle chit-chat was made. Occasionally two would have a small conversation, but it would die quickly. To such went their entire day.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
Over the next four days Duo and Setsuna drifted apart form each other. And to each their own loneliness found open arms. Duo spent a lot of time with Usagi, wanting her to smile again; Usagi had stayed depressed for two days after her arrival, but thanks to Duo she was smiling and laughing again. Usagi kept reminding Duo of Hilde, his old love whom Duo had saved from hell and lost his world, forced into the realm with Gundam pilots. Setsuna found solace in Trowa as he spent much time with her. Together they shared their wisdom and philosophy, having conversations that would last hours. And much to Usagi's displeasure she and Setsuna exchanged very few words, though Setsuna made it apparent that she was still looking after her queen.  
  
By the end of the fourth day, Setsuna was unbelievably confused. She felt worlds apart from Duo, and it was killing her. But for an equal amount she wanted to keep talking and sharing with Trowa.  
  
Duo too was loosing his mind. He couldn't decide whether or not he was madly in love with Usagi, who was exactly like Hilde (he had even begun calling Usagi, "Usako"), or madly in love with Setsuna, some one so unique he had never met any one like her before. He wanted them both to be happy, and as he saw Usagi's happiness grow, he saw Setsuna's wither and deplete. But every time he wanted to talk with her, Setsuna was already with Trowa.  
  
Around four o' clock Setsuna was in the gym room with Usagi, both henshined and were training. Usagi had become much stronger as the years and battle went by; she could even defeat Haruka and Michiru, both of them teamed against her. Soon, tired and breathless the two women collapsed to the ground, their backs against each other's like a friendly wall. Usagi smiled.  
  
"I'm so glad we're spending time together again. We've drifted apart, and I don't want us to be like that. Uh, I know this sounds... weird, maybe, but you're one of my closest friends, you know. It would kill me if we stopped talking."  
  
"My apologies Serenity. I would love to spend more time with you. Whenever you're not with Duo, find me." Setsuna said, feeling slightly resentful that if she was one of Usagi's closest friends then why would Usagi never visit her when she was at the Time Gates? But still, the gesture gave her a faint smile; a smile that would be soon to disappear.  
  
"Speaking of Duo... He's really hot, isn't he?" Usagi said, turning around to look at Setsuna, who was taken off guard.  
  
"Uh... well, yeah, he is." Setsuna said after thinking for a second. Usagi giggled.  
  
"He's been so awesome to me, always making me laugh. I don't care about Mamarou at all anymore. I think I sorta... love him."  
  
Setsuna's heart ceased, her skin paled. She wasn't hearing this. NO.  
  
"I think he tried to kiss me last night while we were hanging around on the roof, but he didn't. Do you think I stand a chance with him? Or do you want me to stay away from him?" Usagi rambled.  
  
"Not at all Serenity. Why would I want you to stay away from him?" Setsuna said, her voice like a frozen wind. Her heart stuttered like an old, broken down car trying to start up. Usagi giggled.  
  
"Well, I dunno. I didn't think you'd be interested in him, it's not like he is your type, but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone's toes, you know?" Usagi said in one breath. A void settled down over Setsuna. She felt nothing, thought nothing. Slowly her mind began to function again, then it quickly picked up it's pace and her mind began to reel with thoughts and emotions. It all flooded her at once, and she needed to get away.  
  
"Forgive me Serenity; I need to go take a shower. I'll see you around, all right?"  
  
"Kay."  
  
Setsuna de-henshined and stumbled out of the room and down the hall, not heading anywhere in particular. Violent thoughts streamed through and flooded into and out of her head faster than she could understand them.  
  
{"No. NO. This isn't happening. So what? Just because I'm quiet and thoughtful doesn't mean I'd never fall in love with some one like Duo? Just because he's more extroverted than me doesn't mean I couldn't love him. Doesn't mean He couldn't Love {ME}. She never asked if I loved him, she asked if I wanted her away from him. Two COMPLETELY different things! I WILL not loose to hear again! NO! ... no..."} Setsuna angrily thought as hot, angry tears flowed freely down her face. There was no doubt in her mind now who she loved more between Duo and Trowa. No doubt at all. Her vision soon became blurred by her tears and she bumped right into another body.  
  
Out of sheer irony Setsuna half expected the person to be Duo, so that he could tell her how much he loved her, how much more he loved her than Usagi. Instead it was Trowa who caught Setsuna by her wrists. His eyes immediately changed, becoming concerned.  
  
"Setsuna, what's wrong? What happened?" Trowa's level voice had become worried and concerned immediately. Setsuna raised her hands and formed them into fists, violently yanking her arms, trying to break free. Trowa's grip held firm as Setsuna then buried her face in Trowa's shirt and sobbed. Unable to tell Trowa what was hurting and angering her so deeply, she hushed her sobs and gently pulled away from him. This time he let go, her wrists turning red from how tightly he held onto her. She lowered her head and stepped around him, heading in the direction of her room. As she passed Trowa she quietly apologized.  
  
"I'm sorry Trowa, for my outburst. Please excuse me."  
  
Setsuna then quickly walked to her room and then out on the terrace that over looked a deep green forest. Leaning forward on the railing, Setsuna brushed some deep green hair behind her ear that had clung to her face from the tears during her struggle with Trowa. Truth be told she felt badly for her episode with him. He was probably very confused now.  
  
{"That is, if he even cares."} Setsuna thought bitterly as she tightly closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. All her pain, hurt and rage then settled in her heart, merging into a thick coat of shrouding darkness. In this clouding darkness images of Duo appeared, the images of Usagi, then of both their purple eyes gazing into each other's. Then an image of her appeared, standing by. All alone. {"Why would Duo even want me...? Usagi's always smiling and talkative... she's always something new, something exciting."} She thought, a new stab of pain pierced through the images and Setsuna blanked her mind. If she didn't think about it, it wouldn't hurt. "Out of sight, out of mind..." Her voice whispered as she kept her eyes tight.  
  
............................................................................ .................................................................  
  
Trowa winced as Setsuna shut her bedroom door behind her. He desperately wanted to know what was hurting her. He wasn't in denial about how he felt for her. Before he had never thought he would fall in love with anyone, but then he met her. And as Trowa walked, his feet decided to hunt down Wufei. As Trowa walked he passed by Duo. Duo actually seemed satisfied with something. It was five minutes before he found the guy, in the first place that came to his mind, yet the last place he looked.  
  
"Wufei, do you know what's troubling Setsuna?"  
  
Wufei was surprised to her Trowa speak, and to speak of another was indeed new. He set the rag soaked in a metal polishing agent and then set down his katana, yet kept it close by.  
  
"No Bloom, I don't. What happened?" He asked.  
  
"Wufei, my last name is Barton."  
  
"But your sister is Bloom? Catherine Bloom?"  
  
"Yes but—never mind." Trowa said exasperated with the Chinese man. He then explained his encounter with Setsuna. Wufei thought deeply for a moment, considering what said.  
  
"Before I give my deduction, I have some questions. First, you don't normally care about people's feelings. You normally find them hormonal and mundane, correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So you then care about her deeply?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you know how she feels?"  
  
"No, Wufei, what does this have to do with anything?"  
  
"Plenty, baka. I have your answer, but you won't like it. It's better if you don't know in this case. And Trowa: Trust me." Wufei said, reclaiming his rag and Katana in his hands. When Wufei went back to polishing his Katana Trowa took a hint and took his leave, very frustrated yet understanding...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo squirmed in discomfort, waiting. Even as a child Duo hated waiting. He knew, too, that Wufei was aware of his presence. After all, Duo was sitting cross legged in front of Wufei on Wufei's bed. Squirming again, Wufei then looked up, sick of Duo's distractions. Discarding the Katana and polishing rag Wufei decided to verbally acknowledge Duo.  
  
"What's the matter with you Maxwell?"  
  
Duo sighed again, pouted his bottom lip, and then inhaled deeply to prepare for a very, {very} long paragraph. "I... I don't know who I love anymore. Setsuna feels so cold and distant to me, and Usako is so warm, happy, bubbly, cute, talkative... everything I thought I would spend my life with. Yet, Setsuna pops into my head too. Not as a life partner, but as someone I want to hold, someone I want to see again, someone I look forward to talking to. Setsuna is strong, mysterious, beautiful, wise, insightful, solacing, cold and yet warm to those who she welcomes. She knows what she wants, and won't have anything else, unless she's inconveniencing someone. She'll do anything for anyone she cares about, yet only the people she cares about.  
  
"Yet," Duo continued, "Usako will do anything for {anyone}, not just the people she cares about. She doesn't hide anything and is true to her words. She's open to everything, isn't judgmental or accusative. Others will think higher of themselves in a situation where someone less is chosen over them, but Usako will never think that of anyone, even if it is true that she is better. We'll talk about everything, we have things in common, help me Wufei, I don't know what to do!" Duo rambled.  
  
Wufei sat silent for a moment. "Duo, do you want me to tell you what to do?"  
  
Duo thought for a moment. "No, I want you to give me wise advice that makes sense, something that'll make me ponder for a while and then make perfect sense suddenly, making everything clear to me." Duo said in one breath. Wufei fell silent again.  
  
"Duo, I don't remember if I've already told you this. When I first married Nataku, I didn't believe I could ever love such a woman. I wanted a woman who was tame, a mother and a wife. Nataku was not that. She was rambunctious, wild, and ran out to battles. But I married her anyways. Not because it was what I wanted, but because it was my family's wish, my family's name and honor.  
  
"And Duo... Hilde is dead. If you love Lady Tsikino because she is like Hilde, you love her for wrong reasons. I know you still love Hilde, though you've moved on. And if you may love Lady Meiou or Lady Tsikino, it is a different love. You'll never love either of them with the same love as you did Hilde. But you can love them differently. Ask yourself: Do you love Lady Tsikino like you did Hilde? If so, you are trying to recapture that love you lost; that dead love. You are trying to replace Hilde. If not, it is a real love. Does that help?" Wufei said slowly, thoughtfully. In return Duo thought, and then nodded.  
  
"Yes Wufei; that was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!" Duo then sprang from Wufei's bed and darted out the door. As he walked down the hall he passed a troubled looking Trowa. Duo asked what was wrong, but Trowa had his mind set on one thing. A {mission}, you could call it. Shrugging it off until he could speak with Trowa alone, Duo then bounded into his room. {"Man, it's only seven o' clock and I'm wasted. Dinner will be soon... I'll nap. Yes, sleeping solves everything. Yes."} Duo thought, flopping onto his bed. And Nap he did...  
  
............................................................................ ...................................................................  
  
About nine pm Duo's door creaked open and Usagi walked in. She sat next to the napping Duo on his bed and gazed at Duo's napping form. He was absolutely adorable when he was asleep. Actually, he was absolutely adorable whether he was awake or asleep. Usagi giggled through her anxiety, pulling Duo from his dreamland. He blinked at her, slightly blurry, and then a tired, aloof smile spread on his face.  
  
"Hey Usako, what's up?" Duo said, his voice still belonging in his dreamland. She shifted cutely, exactly the way Duo did when he wanted something. His smile grew inwardly when he realized this. Usagi giggled and pull both of them to their feet.  
  
"Duo, you are amazing. You didn't even know who I was when I came here and yet you still were by my side at every moment, making me laugh. You helped me get over Mamarou, no questions asked. And... I couldn't help but have... fallen... in love with you Duo. Yes, I love you." Usagi said, a blush creeping to her cheeks. She then lifted up on her tip-toes and kissed him.  
  
Duo's pounding heart suddenly ceased. This is what Duo had wanted to hear; exactly what he wanted to hear. This was his moment. Duo began to return her kiss, trying to wrap his arms around her waist. But she didn't fit, she was too small. His mind then immediately reeled to how perfectly Setsuna fit in his arms. Nope, this wasn't right at all. His heart tugged at him, nagging at him until he pulled away from Usagi. She seemed surprised, but understood. And Duo too understood; he understood the deeper meaning of Wufei's words.  
  
"I'm sorry Usako, I don't feel that way about you. Part of me wished I do, but I don't." Duo said softly, trying to be as gentle as he could. Usagi nodded in acceptance.  
  
"Yeah, you love Setie-chan don't you?"  
  
Duo seemed surprised at the girl's insight, but let out a relieved sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I do. Hey, I over slept, I gotta get going, so I'll see ya around?"  
  
"Maybe." Usagi said, smiling lightly. Duo nodded and hurried out of his room and down the hall way. Turning a sharp corner Duo entered Setsuna's room. Empty. Duo then raced through the entire safe house looking for her. Setsuna wasn't anywhere inside the safe house and no one had seen her at all...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Setsuna sighed as she stared blankly at the dark sky. Her violet eyes gazed intently on the silver moon, shimmering brightly against the black- star speckled sky. It was the source of her problems, yet she couldn't bring herself to hate it. No matter what, she couldn't hate her beautiful queen Serenity. Even if she had to suffer. Setsuna closed her eyes for a second, feeling the void in her heart. Except it wasn't a total void. There was something inside her that ached, a slow dull pain. All Setsuna knew was that she wanted to be with Duo, either in love or not, safe in his arms. Finally drawing in a deep breath, Setsuna found herself walking towards Duo's closed door. She gently opened it silently to a crack. She peered inside to see if Duo was there, and for a second time heart ache pounded against her chest with the force of a Tsunami, pushing her back a step. Duo was in his room, kissing Usagi. So it was final. She had lost to her queen, a second time. A silent darkness suddenly birthed from deep within Setsuna, enveloping her. Emptily Setsuna turned on her heel and left the mansion. She went into the forest and aimlessly wandered until her henshin wand appeared in front of her, radiating a warm dark red light. Absent mindedly Setsuna extended her arm and took it in her hand. Immediately she was cascaded in the warm light, and an uncomprehending euphoric feeling wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, fading into the light....  
  
A.N: OKAY ALL!!!!END OF CHAPTER 4! Now, I couldn't help but notice that when I became nice about reviews, you stopped. REVIEW DAMN YOU REVIEW! YOU THINK I CAN JUST KEEP WRITING WITH OUT THE CONFIDENCE OF YOUR REVIEWS! IT SHAN'T HAPPEN! Okay, come on, I want at bare minimum ten reviews per chapters. I am falling short of that. Fix it.  
  
Okay, new PROBLEM: This is where my story has come to a fork in the road. One side being the sweet ending I already have finished, the other being at least three more chapters ahead. Now, the problem is the plot I have set out for this extension is difficult, and if I am not careful I could botch the entire story. Walking on broken egg shells. I'll leave that up to YOU REVIEWERS! Which means, golly gee, THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO REVIEW!!!!!!  
  
Oh, and for a further notice, I might be changing my penname. I'm thinking about the goddess Echo or Nike. Maybe Aphrodite. What do you guys think? I'll put up a notice.  
  
Tchüs! 


	5. Losing to You Again

Intruder at the Gates 5:  
Losing to You Again  
  
Slowly Setsuna opened her eyes, her lungs suddenly drawing in a sharp breath of sweet mist. Her body felt stiff, her stomach lurched. She tried to stand up but only made it to her knees before she vomited. Soon after Setsuna began to feel better, but her head still swam in an ocean of disarray. Back at the Gate of Time. Back where this whole... damn... story began. And surely where it would end.  
  
A prickle of anger slowly and discretely crept through her veins, chilling her blood as it circulated through her entire body. As this cold anger grew and rushed through her, her body began to quiver. Soon her entire body trembled and wracked with a rage, violent and thrashing. A rage at Usagi, at Duo, at herself. Everything she told herself before was no longer a fleeting hope but a cold, desolate lie. Duo would never love her, nor would anyone else. And above all else, she definitely {could} hate her queen.  
  
Her queen who lived lavishly in her magnificent palace, guarded by her closest friends, married to the man of her dreams, mother to the most loving child. This "queen" had every luxury a human, young or old, would die for, while the guardian of Pluto gave up everything for her duty, her punishment. Setsuna had let up every talent, every wish, hope, dream, the bliss of living. Now she would never experience love, marriage, child birth, growing old, the blessing of death.  
  
Maybe the pain of her sentence would be lifted a little if any one of her so called "friends" would visit her, but the only face she saw rarely was the sweet child Chibi Usa. A girl who was like a daughter to her. And of course, the child's true mother was her queen. Oh yes, Setsuna found it now easy to hate that blonde mess of joy, the one whom she before called so affectionately "Queen".  
  
All these thoughts vibrated through Setsuna's head, ricocheting through her veins. Setsuna gasped at the sudden pain in her heart, bringing her hands up in front of her face, trying to cover her vision, but unable to look away from reality. Pulling her quivering bent over form up Setsuna clenched her eyes tightly shut, lifting her head up to the heavens and screamed, releasing all of her pain.  
  
{"Fine! Fine, I don't care anymore; do what you want with me! Jest! Jest damn you, jest! Go ahead Heavens, take away all of her happiness, but you sure as hell had better jest! Where would the great Heavens be without their monkey to play with?!" Setsuna screamed, her voice made of hatred, pain, tears and stone cold rage. Setsuna fell silent, and then a few moments later listen to her words echo back to her. When her voice echoed back at her, they hit her with the force of a Tsunami. The force knocked Setsuna over backwards. She didn't even struggle to stay on her knees, just simply let herself fall. Lying in the gentle mist she dissolved in to sobs, covering her face with her hands and curled into a tiny ball. Silence fell over her, yet it did not hush her sobs. The silence only emphasized the loneliness of this bleak, barren wasteland.  
  
"Duo..." Setsuna let escape her lips in a hushed, wounded whisper. Immediately she scolded herself, trying to banish all thoughts of him. Trying to banish any thoughts at all, for every thought hurt worse than the last. As she lay curled in the mist, a heavy, warm sleep came over her, a sleep that she did not try to struggle against. A faint smile formed on Setsuna's face as she fell deeper and deeper into a dreamless, warm coma...  
  
............................................................................ ................................................................  
  
"Dove.... my dove, please wake up now..." A warm masculine voice called to Setsuna deep within her sleep, soft and distant. Slowly it retrieved Setsuna's soul from deep within the frozen mirth of her heart, bringing her back to the conscious world. Setsuna opened her bleary eyes and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Slowly she stood to her feet, still fuzzy. Everything felt fine, peaceful and at ease. At least until Setsuna remembered that she wasn't alone. Someone had woken her up. Alarums went off inside her head and Setsuna pulled out her Time Staff, prepared to dispatch anything, be it friend or foe. A white gloved hand placed itself on her shoulder. Setsuna quickly whirled around and froze mid attack. Standing in front of her was a mirror image of herself, Senshi fuku and all. Setsuna was about to attack again, but her image spoke, halting Setsuna in her track. For this new Setsuna spoke with a man's voice. Setsuna dropped her staff in shock.  
  
"Who are you?" Setsuna asked, in morbid fascination. Her counter part chuckled and smiled lightly.  
  
"You're confused, of course. My name is long since forgotten, so it won't help you. But I can give you some adored nick names that I have been tagged with. Samiel, Lucifer, Satan, take a pick. Or, if those names are uncomfortable, Dometry will do finely. But as far as who I am, I am Shinigami of Hell." Her masculine voice laughed at Setsuna's stun. When Setsuna didn't speak, her mirror image continued.  
  
"My Dove, I'm so glad you're awake! I feared it was too late, you'll never open your lovely garnet eyes!" the fake image of Setsuna gently placed her hands over Setsuna's cheeks, caressing them. Setsuna quickly jerked away from the foreign touch.  
  
"What are you talking about... too late? I was just sleeping..." Setsuna barely managed to say, slowly fading out of shock.  
  
"That was no mundane sleep my dove; you would never have awoken if I had not come. You cast a very complicated spell, a spell designed by your heart. You wanted to just fade away, never to wake up again just to face another miserable day. I know, I've felt all your pain." The masculine voice said, Setsuna's own eyes comfortingly gazing at her. Setsuna squirmed awkwardly under the gaze.  
  
"You are mistake; I have no magic." She said, her voice cold like a frosty wind. "Dometry" laughed.  
  
"You don't, but you're Garnet orb does. The Garnet orb is a funny thing; it is an ascension being, it has its own soul. Ever wonder why it seems like it is listening when you talk to it, recording your voice like a diary? That is because it is. The Garnet Orb... is very maternal. It felt your suffering, so it merged with you, anything to make its precious child feel better. And with it as part of you, your deep emotions tapped into the Garnet Orb's power. With the Garnet Orb as your other half, you have an unharnesed power, limitless. That is why your eyes are now a beautiful Garnet red. Does that answer your questions, my dove?" Dometry said, a crooked smile on its face. He then reached out and placed his hand, palm down against Setsuna's heart.  
  
"Do you feel it? Do you feel its boundless power?" His hand then moved down, cupping his hand over Setsuna's left breast. Immediately Setsuna knocked his hand away sharply and strongly. Dometry laughed and her precaution. "Look inside yourself, look at your weapon, look at your eyes within mine; it's all true."  
  
Setsuna then recoiled back one step. Her eyes untrusting, Setsuna looked to the ground where her Time Staff lay. The Garnet Orb was gone. She looked up at her mysterious counter part and saw her mirrored eyes were garnet. Her hand swiftly retrieved her Time Staff. It looked so barren and bleak without its shiny red orb. But it was true, she supposed. Every time she talked to the Garnet Orb, recording her voice and image, it felt as tough the orb was listening. Glaring at her image, Setsuna finally found words.  
  
"No." She said, her voice still colder and stronger than steel. Dometry seemed slightly offset by her sentence, but quickly regained his aloof grin.  
  
"And what do you mean by that?"  
  
"No, you haven't answered all of my questions. If you are Shinigami, then why do you mirror my image? Show me your true form!"  
  
"I look like you because I have no true form in this plane. My body may never leave Hell, so to appear before someone I can only take their shape. If you indeed wish, I shall show you my true form, which is stuck in hell." He said, waving his left hand through the air to his left. The area that his hand swept through turned into a silvery solid, then like a clear glass. The mirror rippled, then an image of a man sitting on a sleek black metal throne. He had flaming red hair, long and straight with bangs that swept in front of his eyes. His eyes were a glowing golden yellow. His outfit was a black army general's, minus the metals. And lastly, he had large black, leathery demon wings. Setsuna scowled at the image, satisfied that the man inside the mirror was indeed Shinigami (And a small thought in her distant mind couldn't help but find him attractive). And since this was Shinigami, she couldn't touch him.  
  
"Now," Setsuna began, not changing her tone, "Why are you here? I'm sure you know well enough that a god cannot possess the power of the universe, so don' even try. If your body cannot travel, the why let your mind wander? It can serve no purpose here."  
  
Again Dometry laughed in his non chalant manner. "With the Garnet Orb as part of you, you have become more powerful than your strongest nemesis... or friend. As my body cannot leave my home plane, I need to harness your power. Or I need you to, more precisely." Dometry pulled out a piece of pure white parchment. "I have a list of people... that couldn't have helped but snare my undying hatred and I would give nothing more than to see them suffer in my Hell. So I—"  
  
"Get the Grim Reaper. Bother me no longer, and be gone from my sight."  
  
Again he laughed. "Ol' Grimmy doesn't do personal favors. He has a long list of souls already, so he won't do special orders. The kind ol' chap he is said he would be glad in one of them appeared on his list, but he would do nothing more than be glad. SO I need you."  
  
"Why me?" Setsuna asked, losing patience but becoming slightly intrigued. Dometry paused his speech to walk around Setsuna, then run an ungloved hand up Setsuna's neck and gently traced her cheek. She shuddered under his touch and quickly stepped away. If it were a man's shape she could over look the uncomfortable touch, but as it were Setsuna's own form touching her, she had to oppose.  
  
"Do not touch me again, Shinigami, or I shall kill you sooner you raise you hand. Do you not remember you are still in shape of my image?" Setsuna said tensing her shoulders. Dometry laughed.  
  
"Yes, I do tend to forget that little detail. But you—I have chosen you for your power... and because I have something that I can offer you in return. For your services, I offer you death. Yes, you have died before, but this I offer to you is a final death—one you won't be reborn from. You can come to Hell with me and be my queen, sit at my right in your own throne. A Throne you deserve. Wouldn't you agree? That you deserve after all this time to become queen?"  
  
Setsuna swallowed, her throat becoming parched like a desert. Her heart skipped a few paces, jumping to attention. Death? Queen? Had these things become what her heart wanted most? {'Yes'} a cold thought breathed through her mind. Setsuna's stomach sickened at the thought of what she now wanted the most. She quickly shook her head empty of all emotions, trying for clairvoyance.  
  
"I could not live with myself for eternity watching the souls of dead men being tortured. I could not."  
  
"Then," Dometry said, trying to hide his oddly placed disappointment, "I shall get you into Heaven. Duo made a deal with the Fates for Hilde, is shall do it for you. Can't you almost feel it? The Eternal bliss? Can't you taste it on your tongue, so close?" Dometry said, lifting her chin to look herself in the eye. Setsuna closed her eyes tightly, feeling her stomach turn, knowing the next words that would come out of her mouth. When she re- opened her eyes tears threatened to betray her firm, cold, steely exterior.  
  
"All right... what do I have to do...?" She whispered, the defeat obvious in her voice. She saw herself smile at her, then hand her the piece of soft white parchment.  
  
"One at a time, or maybe two if the people are together, names and where you can find them will appear in the center. Once you kill the designated target, another name will appear. Don't worry; there aren't many people on the list. Only a few. I wish I did not have to make such an innocent dove as yourself do such an unspeakable task, but you are the only one strong and able enough for the tasks. Not just in power, but in mental stability."  
  
Setsuna nodded gravely. "So how do you want me to kill them?" She whispered, suddenly feeling nothing be a stone lock on her heart. Dometry's smile grew as he stepped towards her using her own image, then took Setsuna by the shoulders and kissed her. Seriously pissed Setsuna took hold of her staff and swung it at Dometry. The staff knocked Dometry away from her. Her anger spit at him through her eyes.  
  
"How dare you, you miserable--!" Setsuna began, sputtering in rage.  
  
"What? This is what you have asked for. I have bestowed upon you the method to which you shall kill your victims. Hmm, maybe you'll even get revenge from this. Funny though, isn't it? Judith of the bible betrayed Jesus, his lord, with a kiss didn't he? Thank you, my Dove, I wish you he best of luck with your mission. And... Thank you for the kiss." Dometry said as he turned around and began walking away, fading into the ever present fog.  
  
Again Setsuna stood alone. The cold darkness flooding her veins felt alive, pounding through her with and insatiable feeling, whispering to her. As she calmly stepped through the open Gates of Time, she agreed with the darkness inside herself for once: It was time to end this misery...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo ran through the entire safe house and forest surrounding, soon breaking into the village town near by. He was boarder line hysterical. Setsuna was no where to be seen. Usagi, who had followed him, soon caught up with him.  
  
"Duo, stop!" She called out, and when he obeyed she ran up to him and grabbed a hold on his sleeve, breathless and panting. Duo looked broken.  
  
"Duo, what are you doing? Why are you running like a madman all over?"  
  
"Usako, I can't find Setsuna. I've searched everywhere, even combed through the forest. She just left, gone, no trace behind..."  
  
Usagi quickly put a hand over his mouth so to silence him. "Duo, I don't know why she left, but I can guess where she went."  
  
"WHAT? Where?!" Duo then burst out, grabbing Usagi by the arm.  
  
Usagi winced and pulled away. "Duo, don't yell; you don't have to." She said softly trying to solace him.  
  
Duo sighed, trying to relax his muscles. "Sorry, you're right. Okay, where would she be, and how do we get there?" He said, his comical determination returning. Usagi smiled.  
  
"Great! We start at the Gates of Time! I bet all of Tokyo's money she'll be there!" Usagi squeaked in excitement. Duo blinked.  
  
"Tokyo? What's a Tokyo?" Duo asked. Usagi laughed in return.  
  
"Oh come on! We haven't time to waste, you know!" Usagi then henshined into Eternal Moon and pulled out her Ginzoushou.  
  
"Silver Crystal... take us to the Gates of Time!" Usagi cooed to her precious. The crystal shimmered and then emanated a blinding light. When the light cleared away and their vision returned the bleak atmosphere of the Gates of Time greeted them less than warmly. Setsuna wasn't there to make the place anymore pleasant either. Usagi shivered as a hollow wind blew over them.  
  
"I had forgotten how unpleasant this place was... how lonely it must be... I feel so badly for Setie-chan. I should have the Senshi and I visit her much more often... what a hell this must be..." Usagi said quietly. Duo glanced at her, almost surprised.  
  
"Your group doesn't visit her? At all?"  
  
Usagi winced and nodded.  
  
"Do you think she'll come back on her own? Or will we never see her again?" Duo said, all hope fading fast from his voice.  
  
"I'll tell you where she went."  
  
Duo blinked. "Usako, how could you know that?" Duo asked, turning around to see Usagi. And when he did, Duo had to take a double-take. There was Usagi, but she was standing behind an older, more mature looking Usagi, who just happened to be smiling at Duo, enjoying his confusion like a joke. Usagi waved to Duo from behind the woman, also enjoying the inside joke.  
  
"Hello Duo... I am Neo-Queen Serenity. I am the future Usagi Tsikino. I cannot tell you exactly what Setsuna is doing, but I can get you on her path. Her path will lead you to her, though not obviously. She is about five normal days ahead of you, so it will be a difficult journey to just catch up. Then when you find her, you must change her heart. She has become far stronger than either of you, so do not waste time trying to weaken her; she'll only use it against you anyway. You must show her the love that her mind has blinded her to."  
  
Duo blinked, then nodded. "Oh... kay. I'm sure Usako understands that better than I do, so I'll leave comprehension up to her. Hey, who are those two coming up?" Duo asked, referring to the two shadows that were coming up behind the three, eventually taking shape of two men. When the fog parted around them, Duo and Usagi didn't know whether to faint, laugh, or gasp. One figure turned out to be a much older, more mature looking Quatre, and the other was a much older, not necessarily more mature, Duo. Both men were dressed as kings. Quatre walked up behind Queen Serenity and wrapped one arm around her waist and his other hand to hers. Usagi did a double take as Serenity blushed. Duo looked at his older counter part with suspicion.  
  
"Wha—what ... why?" Duo eventually got out. His elder laughed, his voice aged.  
  
"Why not? Duo, find Setsuna. The future is still unstable and easily changed. Don't lose her; she's the world to me, I would never forgive myself—namely you—if something happened to her or us."  
  
"So... I don't end up marrying Mamo-baka?" Usagi asked excitedly. Serenity nodded, a bashful smile on her face as Quatre gently kissed her neck form behind her. It was indeed odd to see such a bold Quatre, but Usagi couldn't help but like it. All expressions then turned grave.  
  
"You must once again save the future, Usagi, Duo. It is cruel to place so much on your shoulders, but you mustn't take this light heartedly. We are in a grave, unbalanced situation. Go no, and know you have our prayers." Serenity said, biding them good bye. Quatre and Serenity turned around and left into the mist. The elder Duo gave Duo a firm 'don't mess this up' expression, then followed Serenity and Quatre. Duo pouted.  
  
"Even my future self doesn't trust me!" He exclaimed. Duo sighed, defeated. "Well, my and my future's love is at stake. Let's go!" Duo exclaimed...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Setsuna stepped through the time vex and looked around. The land was very lush and peaceful. Pulling out the white parchment Setsuna waited for the name to appear. And sure enough, in blood red scrawling, a name appeared. {"Charon"}. How descriptive. She sighed in exasperation.  
  
{"And what is this? A name, a hotel, a house? A title—wait, this is familiar. Charon is the moon of Pluto. Is that where I am? Hmmm, there is a village over there. They will know something."} She thought as she began walking the short distance to the town. After twenty minutes of walking Setsuna reached the street of the small village. As she was walking she could hear whispers from the town's people as they ran inside their homes.  
  
{"She wears a Senshi outfit, buy I don't recognize that one!"}  
  
{"Is she a new Senshi? What if she's some villain posing as a Senshi?"}  
  
Tons of voices sifted over to Setsuna. {"So there are Senshi in every dimension."} Setsuna thought. {"This will make things harder to accomplish. Charon... what did that have to do with—"} Setsuna's thoughts were interrupted by a distinct, old voice.  
  
"We should contact the Sailor Senshi of Phobos and Demos!" The voice rang out clear and loud over the whispers. Setsuna turned to the voice. An old woman sat in an old fashioned racking chair on a porch, completely at ease. {"The village leader? Seems so."} Setsuna thought as a woman ran indoors to complete the said task of contacting the two Senshi. Setsuna was taken inside the home of the village leader and was seated in the most comfortable chair she had ever felt. As one woman rambled in front of her about such and honor to house such an important blah, blah, blah, Setsuna's thoughts reeled.  
  
{"Charon, Moon, Phobos, Demos, Moons, Senshi... shit. Senshi Charon. I have to kill the Senshi of my moon. What luck. This won't be and easy task. But it will happen. I will get my final rest. It will stop hurting."} Setsuna closed her eyes tightly, biting her lower lip, biting back tears.  
  
"Is something wrong, My Lady?" A man asked, bringing Setsuna out of her thoughts. She shook her head, then recomposed herself. After half an hour Guards form the royal palace came and took Setsuna away from the village to the inner kingdom, the into the palace where many, many Senshi awaited her. Sailor Galaxia was standing in front of them, crown on her head. She could recognize what moon the Senshi belonged to by colour. Two for red, one for purple, and so, so many green. The list went on. But most importantly, one for purple. Sailor Charon. Her complete opposite. She had dark, ruby black hair and green eyes. All of her hair was pulled into a bun except the front sides of her hair that framed her slightly tan face perfectly. The woman looked up at her excitedly, eager to become once again friends. Just like in the silver millennium, before the worlds of the Planetary Senshi and the Lunar Senshi was divided. The used to be like sisters, always close, always together. Setsuna bit her lower lip again, fighting the urge to run away. Her one and only true friend, she had to kill for her own sanity.  
  
{"Yes... my sanity. She will die for my sanity. This... must... be done."} Setsuna thought grimly.  
  
"We meet again, Sailor Pluto, but with welcome and honor." Galaxia said, smiling even more brightly than the sun. Galaxia then reached forward and grabbed Setsuna in a tight hug. Setsuna inwardly grimaced. She hadn't quite forgiven the bitch for all that death and shit. Sure, she turned good, but that hardly constitutes for dying next to the girl who was like a daughter, the girl she had raised, by her other 'friends' hands, not to mention after fading out the other girl, Chibi Usa who was even more like a daughter than Hotaru—nope, not forgiven.  
  
Al formalities were then cut and Setsuna was shown to a room, given a banquet, and all those lovely luxuries her own 'friends' had never once shown her before. The Senshi of the moons adored her, constantly thanked her for her sacrifices, things that Setsuna had become desperate to hear. Setsuna was seriously beginning to doubt the point of her mission until a giggly moon child of Venus, she didn't care which one, brought up the subject of love. Her pain returned immediately, and her entire mission seemed worth it...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
AN: All right you guys, I AM SERIOUSLY PISSED! I mean, come on, 4 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!! HOW COULD YOU ALL, I HTOUGHT YOU LOVED ME?! Where's the love folks? Does my story suck now? Have I taken a bad direction? Or is it because of how long it took me to post/ I swear, that'll never happen again, I was going through some rough times, can ya blame me? REVIWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! Please... I'm beggy begging you! *Sniff* so, should I keep writing? Do like the direction? IS this a story you would consider an epic? I can make it one. Did you pick up on the foreshadowing? TELLLLLLL MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please... oh god please..........  
  
Come one guys, this is my favorite story that I am writing, give me a reason to keep going! I can either give you crap, or give you gold. It's all up to you.  
  
Bye bye! 


	6. Lost and Alone

Intruder at the Gates 6:  
Lost and Alone  
  
After the chaos much like a slumber party dispersed, Sailor Charon approached Setsuna, henshined and cautious. Her fuku was of course opposing to Setsuna's, as was the rest of her.  
  
"Setsuna... it's been so long. I've missed you." She said, hugging Setsuna. Setsuna hugged her back tightly, endearing Charon to her.  
  
"How have you been, Alaura? I've missed you too, more than you know."  
  
"Well, I assume my life is that of a normal Senshi. Oh, I've married! We met two years ago, I hated him at first, but well, in order to hate someone you have to endear them, huh? What about you, I'm sure you have so many stories, yes? Have you found love?"  
  
"Fine, fine. No, I have not found love. I don't want to either. There is no place for love in my life. Being Guardian of Time leaves no room for others." As Setsuna spoke, her heart had become heavy like lead. She suddenly felt her age, old in her ageless time. All of her Senshi thought she was just as old as them, but they were so wrong. They believed that there was no time between their death and their rebirth. But no, not at all. Setsuna had to watch the earth like a growing child. Everything on the Earth, life, had to start over from the VERY beginning. It was awful lonely with out humans, and then when humans were born, it became even lonelier.  
  
Alaura looked at her with a concerned eye. "You're not well are you? Are you, Setsuna?"  
  
Setsuna smiled at her counter part. "I am better now that I have spoken with you, Alaura. I have simply grown tired after my trip. Please excuse me; I'll see you in the 'morrow. Good night." Setsuna said, heading to her chambers. Tears nagged at her eyes and tugged at her heart, tugging on the stone lock that had set itself. As she headed into her room she heard Alaura's voice call after her.  
  
"Setsuna: Do not think me ungrateful for your presence but... why are you here? All of us want to know, but they are too polite to ask. Tell me! Setsuna!" Setsuna shut the door behind her abruptly. She struggled to her bed and let her body fall limp.  
  
{"I'm so weak... I can't kill Alaura... Sailor Charon... she is all that I hold dear to me... all I've ever had... so very weak..."} Setsuna thought as tears leaked down her face. She bit the knuckle of her finger to stop the tears, to stop the pain.  
  
"Even I know that's a lie; you love Duo more than ever. You are strong; I wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't. You are the strongest out their, and your will is unbelievable. You loved your queen and obeyed your unjust punishment for millenniums with out one peep of compliant. That's strength if I've ever seen it." A male voice then said. Setsuna quickly sat up to the intruder, only to see herself. Setsuna fell cold at the new presence.  
  
"Hello Dometry." She said coldly. He smiled in return, gently rubbing her back.  
  
"Don't cry my dove; just remember why you are here. You are here for your final peace." He cooed in her ear, calming her down. Her eyes released their ice and became soft.  
  
"Why Alaura? What has she done in her life to possess your hate?"  
  
Setsuna's double glared, not at her, but at the mention of Sailor Charon's name. "She has evaded me, time and time again."  
  
"How?"  
  
"By defeating my Grim Reaper, over five times. Now Grimmy won't go near her."  
  
"Then doesn't she deserve life?" Setsuna asked, trying desperately to spare the life of her only friend.  
  
"Don't you deserve bliss? Don't you deserve a final peace?" He said, his tone no longer harboring anger or spite, but a concern.  
  
"I... but I..." Setsuna said, words failing to fight for her. She hung her head for a moment, the lifted it, and in her eyes burned determination and pain. "I will." She said finally, her voice stone like and unwavering. Dometry smiled and disappeared. Setsuna rose to her feet, clutched her staff then proceeded to head for the door. As her hand turned to the door knob Dometry's voice stopped her.  
  
"Wait, come here." Setsuna turned around to find him, but he wasn't in sight. "Come to the mirror." Setsuna followed him and almost gasped when she looked in the mirror. It wasn't her reflection, no, it was Dometry's. His actual form was smiling back at her.  
  
"Won't people see you?" Setsuna asked, once again fascinated by his charming looks. He looked so elegant and handsome, sitting on his throne, like a true king. He smiled again.  
  
"No, only through your eyes will you see me. I'll be in any mirror you look; I suggest you find a pocket mirror. I just want you to know, I'm always here with you."  
  
Setsuna smiled bitterly. "I don't know whether I should be happy or frightened. But thank you. We made a deal; I'll hold my end of it." She said, and then walked out of her room and down the magnificent hallway to Alaura's room. Quietly she opened the door and crept in. Alaura was sitting on her bed, legs folded underneath her, arms placidly at her side. All of her ruby black hair was let down, curls tumbling lightly down her back. Her eyes were closed and she didn't move when Setsuna stepped inside, pulling out her staff. Setsuna opened her mouth to announce her presence, but Alaura spoke first.  
  
"I know why you're here; my meditation has shown me." Alaura opened her deep green eyes and pierced Setsuna's garnet eyes. The deep, innocent knowing look of Alaura's eyes pierced Setsuna deeply.  
  
"So tell me," Alaura said, her voice cracking with tears, "Tell me Setsuna: Is this worth it? Is my life worth your eternal happiness?" Tears threatened to spill down Alaura's cheeks. "Is anyone's life worth taking your own? Can't you find happiness within yourself? If not... I cannot begin to tell you... if not... then you can take my life..."  
  
"Alaura..." Setsuna said, tears pouring freely down her face. "I... thank you." She said, her voice cracking. She then stepped forward and kissed Alaura, breathing away Alaura's soul, locking it deep within her own heart. {"Betrayed with a kiss"} Dometry's words spat back at her as Alaura fell limply backwards onto her bed. She was always beautiful; now her beauty was morbid, but still none the less. Her skin was now paler than Setsuna's snow white skin, her eyes open, void of light or life. Setsuna reached forward and closed her eyes, breaking into tears.  
  
Setsuna's sobbing aroused Sailor Phobos from her sleep. Sailor Demos' telepathic link with Phobos woke her up as well. Phobos mentioned for Demos to stay quiet as they approached Alaura's chambers.  
  
"Oh my Goddess..." Phobos said when she saw Setsuna weeping over Alaura's dead body. "How could you..." She began, but couldn't find the words to finish.  
  
"Ren... I..." Setsuna tried to say but the air locked in her throat. Demos then shoved her way passed Phobos. Demos paled at the sight but couldn't say anything.  
  
"Ryuu... Ren, please I..." Setsuna said in between sobs, her chest heaving with every breath and sob. Phobos then henshined, pulling out a sword. Demos then put a hand in front of her, ceasing her actions.  
  
"Ren... let her speak. Setsuna, Senshi of Pluto: Did you kill your guardian, your friend, Alaura of Charon?" Ryuu, Senshi of Demos said. Setsuna drew in a deep breath, pulling herself together.  
  
"Yes." Her voice came out like a frosty breath, void of all emotions. Ryuu paled further, then henshined. In her chartreuse eyes burned a deep hatred.  
  
"You fuckin bitch! How dare you! How dare you come into our palace with all of our welcome and kill your friend!!! We give you our praises, food and shelter, and you kill one of our most powerful Senshi! You bitch!" She screamed, releasing her hold on Ren. Setsuna then rose to her feet and grabbed her time staff.  
  
"You wouldn't understand... so I won't waste time explaining it to you. Just step out of my way and no one else will get hurt." She said, her eyes a cold steel and her words a sharp frost. Ren glared.  
  
"What happened to the garnet orb?" She asked calmly, now holding Ryuu back.  
  
"It has become a part of me. It does not matter. Stand down!" Setsuna snapped, moving into an attack position.  
  
"How can you use the Garnet Orb for evil?" Ren continued, her eyes narrow. Setsuna began to look impatient.  
  
"Evil? Hnn, evil is only in the eye of the beholder, Ren. Now move, or—"  
  
Suddenly five other Senshi ran into the room. Sailor Io, Mimas, Pasiphae, Larissa, and Cressida. Pluto's eye twitched with anger. Ren had been distracting her. Of course all the yelling would get their attention. {"Shit"} Setsuna thought. She readied her staff, prepared for an onslaught...  
  
............................................................................ ...................................................................  
  
Duo sighed. "Where are we? This place is so bleak... what do you think happened?" Usagi sighed, her shoulders slumping.  
  
"I don't know... everything is... destroyed..." Usagi said as she looked around. They had stepped through their fifth portal, one week into their journey. Their portal had led them to a palace, thoroughly destroyed. Bodies were scattered everywhere, Senshi bodies. A great battle had obviously claimed this place. Usagi and Duo knelt beside a body that had begun coughing.  
  
"Who are you? What happened, are you all right?" Usagi asked in a whirl of questions. The girl's eyes widened when she saw Usagi.  
  
"Princess... Serenity? Is it you? I thought I would never see any of you planetary Senshi again... forgive me, I am Sailor Rhea, of a Moon of Saturn. What happened... was..." Tears then rapidly poured from the young girl's eyes. "Sailor Pluto, she... she killed her! She killed her, and then most of us, I don't know who's still alive, I can't move my body Sailor Moon please I'm so scared for them... help us... please, kill Sailor Pluto, she's so evil... a red light came from her chest, it nearly wiped everything out... they're dead Sailor Moon, dead!" They girl cried as she began coughing up blood. Usagi held Sailor Rhea until she died soon after. Usagi stifled back tears as Duo rested a hand on her should.  
  
"Duo, I don't believe it, I won't! Setsuna would never do this, it must be an imposter, I don't believe it Duo! What do I do, how can I help these people?! Duo!" Usagi then broke down into tears. "People are dead Duo, dead!" Duo cradled her in his arms as she cried. He closed his eyes tightly.  
  
{"Setsuna, it couldn't have been you... right? Please tell me I'm right!"} Duo's thought's screamed at himself...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Setsuna was thrown out of the portal. She landed on the ground and skid a couple of feet until her body hit a rock. She clenched a pocket mirror in her left hand and her orb-less staff in her other. Tears stained her face and her body trebled, wracked with pain. A huge, long gash bled profusely on her right thigh, deep and serious. Her body was covered in cuts scratches and bruises.  
  
She had taken five souls now, five innocent souls. "Tenchi Musaki, Jean Grey, Enki, Sakura Avalon, and now Alaura... plus so many who died in that battle. An innocent boy, a mutant, a holy creature, a guardian, and now a Senshi, my best friend, my only friend. Five people will never live again. Not even the Ginzoushou could revive them. Plus an untellable amount of innocent people who weren't involved." Setsuna said as she lied there crying, trying to move her pain wracked body. Her chest heaving painfully with every breath, Setsuna flipped open the pocket mirror that she had taken from Alaura before the battle and looked in to see what she had expected. Dometry was sitting majestically in his throne, waiting for her response.  
  
"How many more?" She asked in a tearful broken voice. "Please let me be done... please make it be over. Please" Setsuna cried. Dometry's eyes softened for her.  
  
"I am sorry my Dove, there are two more. Only two more, I promise you. Then it will be all over, all the pain, the guilt the anger and heart ache. Just eternal bliss. You've come too far to stop now, now dove. I have already spoken with Heavens; they agree with me, you deserve it. Soon my dove, soon." Dometry cooed to the sobbing woman.  
  
"Through all of this you still love Duo don't you? He is still making you suffer, even when he is not there. Would you like to know where he is, what he is doing? Right now Duo is with Usagi, and they're looking for you; they are looking to kill you. Right now Duo is holding her, holding her until they find you... and kill you." He continued. The image in the mirror then changed to show Duo holding the weeping Usagi over the dead Sailor Rhea.  
  
"Look at the parchment Setsuna. There are only two more names; they will come to you this time."  
  
Setsuna did as she heard and glanced at the parchment. As she watched it two names in blood red scrawled across the center. "Usagi Tsikino and... Duo Maxwell." Setsuna threw herself up into a sitting position, wincing as her leg bled more. She pulled her aching limbs up and looked back into the pocket mirror. The image had changed back to Dometry.  
  
"Why them? Why can't you leave them alone? Let them alone!" Setsuna pleaded. Dometry then looked at her eyes with a soft confusion.  
  
"But I thought you hated Serenity, and that Duo's love for her was causing you so much pain? Isn't that so?" He cooed to her. Setsuna winced, closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then opened one, praying that he wouldn't be in the mirror, that there would be no mirror, all a dream. He was till there, still waiting for an answer.  
  
"Yes... I do... I hate her... but... haven't I done enough? Please, make it stop, let it be over!" Setsuna pleaded. "I don't think I can fight them like this... I've lost so much blood please let it be over..." She begged. Dometry reached out and touched to glass of the mirror, trying to touch her face.  
  
"Your garnet orb... its power saved you from the last battle, it will help you again."  
  
"It won't be enough, it can't defeat the Ginzoushou, nothing can..." Setsuna sobbed.  
  
"Then use your Garnet orb... to wish me there... to where you are. It can; it's powerful enough to do that, and then I will help you fight. But I cannot get there on my own; you have to use the Garnet Orb." His voice sounded almost eager, yet still sympathetic.  
  
"I don't know how... I don't know how..." Setsuna lowered her head, turning away form the image.  
  
Still he spoke: "All you have to do is desire it deeply, more deeply than a desire. I know you can do that. Wish to not be alone, wish that I was there with you."  
  
Setsuna then looked back at the mirror in her hand and lightly shook her head. "But I don't want you here with me... not now. I want to do this... alone... If I need you, I will call upon you. If they will come to me, I will wait here and recover my strength. Please, leave me alone until then..." Setsuna said, heaving her last breath as she closed Alaura's mirror.  
  
Alaura... she could hear all five of them speaking to her... all five of them talking to her in her head.  
  
"Setsuna, you can end this yourself. You can get out of this, just stop killing." Alaura's voice softly sifted in over the din of Setsuna's thoughts.  
  
"No... I've come too far to turn back now..." Setsuna said aloud.  
  
"It's never too late. Just turn back now Setie-chan. Please, we don't matter anymore, but Serenity is your queen, and D—"  
  
"Some queen she is!" Setsuna spat out. Alaura's voice then disappeared. A dull silence hushed over Setsuna. She then inhaled deeply and held her breath, seizing her Time Staff and hoisting herself up to her feet. She leaned on her staff as a crutch for her wounded leg. Feeling her hand grow weaker Setsuna pulled the brooch off of her Senshi fuku and replaced it with the mirror of Alaura. {"In memory of you, my friend."} She thought. And there, leaning on her Time Staff as a crutch, Setsuna waited for them...  
  
............................................................................ ........................................................  
  
A.N.: Okay all; we are coming on the last chapter! Wooooooooooooottt!!!!! I have never gotten this far, I'm so excited! To all of my loyal reviewers, I am so proud of you! Thankies to all of you! And to those of you who stopped reviewing and are just free loading on my story, go to hell. But we aren't talking to you. What, you miss us? Tough noogies! Woot, I'm getting nervous here! Wow, I have expanded my Microsoft dictionary by sooooo much, you have no idea! Okay, just review and love me, t's all I ask! Your reviews have been very nice to me. Thankies to all! Please, more reviews! I have the LAST chapter, all typed up and pretty! I can't wait, I'll throw it up on Thursday, promise! Gotta have enough time for all reviews to come in after all. Oh god, I am so excited. And I would love this story to be considered an epic, but you reviewers are the ones who decide that. Wow, my first finished fic... wow. Well, bye all! 


	7. Please Let it Be Over Now

Intruder at the Gates 7:  
Please Let It Be Over Now...  
  
"Duo... there is the portal Setsuna left open... she could be on the other side... or we could be far behind her... either way... I'm not sure I'm able to face her... Duo..." Usagi whimpered as Duo rocked her back and forth. "I don't think I can... I need the other Senshi with me... I need Setsuna with me... I can't do this with out them..."  
  
"Shhhhh, it will be all right Usako, it will. I won't let it turn out any different. You may not have your other Senshi... but you have me. And we are a part of Setsuna that she'll never abandon, no matter how distant it may feel to her, it will be there. She'll remember us, all the time we spent with her. She'll never be able to deny those good memories..." Duo said, trying to convince himself as well as Usagi.  
  
"Remember, we are going to her out of our love for her, not to fight or to hurt her. But to show her love she might not have seen before. But if we stop now... she'll hurt forever. Her misery will never end. I don't know why she is doing this, I really don't, but we may be able to help. Usako... we have to go now." Duo continued, rubbing Usagi's back. She swallowed hard, and then nodded. Usagi stood up, drying her tears. Duo stood up with her, trying to smile, be it a real smile or not. Usagi smiled back and took her Ginzoushou in her hand.  
  
"She may be on the other side, she may not; but no matter where she is, we can't stop." Usagi said, then closed her eyes and stepped through the portal, Duo directly beside her...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Setsuna leaned on her staff, slowly regaining strength. Her vision was no longer blurry, her head no longer fuzzy. {"Please let it be over now, please let it be over now..."}Setsuna thought over and over again. Her own desire for bliss cost four innocent lives and her best friend, plus hundreds that she had never met. And now her selfishness would cost her queen and her lover. {"Please let it be over soon, please let it be over soon..."} Her mind chanted, praying. Everything ached, and what didn't ache didn't work. {"I just want to be done with this; I'll do anything to be done with this..."} She had run out of tears and all that she could feel was a cold pain. Her mind was a jumble of words and feelings, but soon it leveled out to its usual calm, collected nature. Finally a void fell upon her as voices sifted through the wind to her ears. Finally, it would end.  
  
"Oh my Goddess! Duo, there's Setsuna! There she is; she's there!" Usagi yelled, beginning to sound hysterical. Setsuna lifted her head; her bangs fell by her eyes, a slight crazed, dark look came to her Garnet eyes. Usagi ran forward and threw her arms around Setsuna, embracing her tightly. Setsuna didn't move.  
  
"Oh Setsuna what happened to you, why are you doing this?" Usagi quickly reeled out over and over again. Duo walked over to Setsuna, a faint and scared smile on his face.  
  
"Hey Setsuna... Are you ready to end this? Ready to come home with us? With me?" He said quietly, in contrast with Usagi's panicked rambling. Setsuna still didn't move; then, in one quick motion, Setsuna grabbed Usagi by the hair and flung her hard into the ground and away from her. Usagi whimpered as she hit the ground with force, unearthing the ground as she skid. Duo took a step back from Setsuna, and then quickly went to Usagi, who was very dazed and confused.  
  
{"How dare you come here and act like my friend! Have you no shame! You stupid bitch, how dare you act like my friend! How dare you act like you care!"} Setsuna screamed.  
  
"Setsuna!" Duo called to her gently from Usagi's side, "Aren't you ready to end this masquerade?"  
  
"The only way to end this now is for you two to die!!" Setsuna screamed at them, moving her staff in front of her and hurling a blast of red energy from the space where her garnet orb used to be. The blast hit Duo and Usagi, throwing them further away from each other. Usagi was first up to one knee. Her face was scratched and cut, her golden hair falling from its odangos.  
  
"Why? Setsuna, answer me! Why are you killing all these people? Why do we have to die?" Usagi cried out as another blast of red energy hit her, knocking her backwards. Setsuna slowly walked over to the struggling Usagi and grabbed Usagi by her Senshi fuku, hoisting her up off of her feet.  
  
"Why do you have to die, you ask?" Setsuna said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "You have to die so that I can!" She screamed. Setsuna then began pulling Usagi closer to her, to breathe away Usagi's soul, but Duo's vice suddenly sliced through the air.  
  
"Setsuna!" Setsuna turned around ninety degrees to see Duo pulling himself off of the ground.  
  
"What?" She said, her voice as cold as steel.  
  
"Your eyes... they're different... what happened?" He asked, stepping towards her slowly.  
  
"Why does it matter?" Setsuna asked, growing a bit impatient.  
  
"Because... I loved looking into your violet eyes... they were so beautiful. Violet, they used to be violet. I remember; how could I forget? I memorized every line of your face, it was so beautiful. Now you look tear stained, angry and your eyes... they're garnet red... why? What happened? What changed?" Duo's voice was soft, caressing to Setsuna's mind. But all that felt so distant, she could barely feel it.  
  
"What changed?" Setsuna said, a wry smile formed on her lips, "You. You changed; you fell in love with this bitch!" Setsuna screamed, hurling Usagi into the ground. "I will not lose to her again! You two fell in love, you two get to live happily for the rest of your days! And what do I get? A fucking eternity in hell! And now I have the chance to die, to die and spend eternity in bliss! You have no idea how long I suffered at the Gates alone, how agonizing everyday was! I will do anything for that!" Setsuna turned back to Usagi.  
  
"You! I hate you; I hate everything that you are! You get a loving husband, you get the most wonderful child, you get a palace, and you get who ever you want! And IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOU SENTENCED ME TO THIS HELL! YOU COULD HAVE PARDONED ME, BUT ALL THAT MATTERED WAS YOUR DAMN MAMO-CHAN! I FIND A LOVE AND YOU TAKE IT AWAY!" She screamed again, readying her staff for another attack.  
  
"Wait!" Duo called out, "Who did you love?" His voice was still calm, still soft, no matter what Setsuna said. Her eyes narrowed and fell icy, yet they filled with tears at the same time.  
  
"You..." she whispered. Her eyes then flashed with anger once more as she turned back to Usagi. "And YOU! YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME! YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM AND THEN NO ONE ELSE MATTERED!" Setsuna screamed, her voice reaching new levels, the pain and hatred heavy in her voice. As Setsuna raised her staff to strike Usagi, Usagi held out her Ginzoushou, a white light emanating, knocking Setsuna back ten feet. Setsuna slowly pulled herself to her feet, staring at Usagi wide eyed.  
  
"You... you would fight me?" She said, not believing it. Usagi looked away quickly, then back directly at Setsuna's eyes.  
  
"No, but I will not just let you kill me. I have a life to survive for—"  
  
"Did that matter after Galaxia killed the rest of us?! NO! Chibi chibi had to beg you to fight Galaxia! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE NOW THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE THEN! WHAT CHANGED?!" Setsuna then rushed another blast at Usagi, only this time Usagi used the Ginzoushou and blasted back. Their energies clashed, red and white swirling together, yet not mixing. The energies then erupted, blasting them both back, along with Duo.  
  
{"No, I'm not going to lose; all I've done will not be in vein! Their lost souls will not be wasted; after all I've done... I can't turn back. It will be over soon, all over."} Setsuna thought, the darkness locked in her heart beginning to grow. She then quickly grabbed the pocket mirror from where her brooch used to be and opened it, glaring sharply into the image.  
  
"Garnet orb! I need Dometry here with me! Bring his body to my plane!" She called out, summoning on her Garnet Orb. A flash of red light erupted from Setsuna's chest, and Dometry stepped through her, grinning wickedly. The red light faded and Dometry stood tall and proud. He turned around to Setsuna and placed his hands on her cheeks.  
  
"My Dove, you are so close, I will help where needed, but you have to finish this so all the souls can combine."  
  
Setsuna blinked. "What do you mean, combine?" Dometry rolled his eyes slightly.  
  
"The souls are locked inside of your heart; that is why you can still talk to them. Now, quickly take their souls and it will be all over! All the pain, anger, hurt, hatred, tears and lives will go away; it will all be worth it!" He said triumphantly.  
  
Duo glared at this new man. This guy was calling {His} Setsuna dove? No chance in hell, be it irony or bleak truth. "Who are you?" Duo called out. Dometry turned to him, then smirked.  
  
"Ah, Duo Maxwell, I've always wanted to meet the Shinigami who fucked up. If it weren't for you, then I'd still be living a normal life! Setsuna, take care of this moon brat, I'll deal with this twig." He ordered. Setsuna inhaled a deep breath and stepped around him, facing Usagi. Dometry then turned back to Duo.  
  
"Duo, I am Shinigami. The {real} Shinigami." He said, a cruel smile spreading his handsome features. Duo scowled deeply. Things turned from purgatory to hell very quickly.  
  
"Why are you doing this Shinigami? What use is she to you? Surely you don't actually care about her?" Dometry laughed wickedly.  
  
"No, I don't {actually} care, but I have something she wants, and she can do something that I can't exactly, so where is the problem? These are her real feelings, if that's what you're wondering. I have only given her he offer!" Dometry cackled as Duo scowled.  
  
Setsuna glared at Usagi, standing about twenty feet away from her. "Make this quick, 'Usagi'. I've wasted enough time on you!" Setsuna hissed. The two women then hurled their strongest blast at each other. The energies collided with a powerful blast and clashed with each other, both energies fighting for dominance. Red and white clashed, but neither colour mixed with the other.  
  
The white energy ball then erupted, blasted both of them back. As the white energy hit Setsuna it tore through her with out wounding her, but the Garnet Orb inside of her shattered, the pieces flying out of Setsuna back, falling around her as she lay on the ground, trying to recover from the blow. The pieces of Garnet glittered as blood ran down the edges. The blast had not wounded Setsuna, but the shards tore through her back. The gash on her leg had torn in length and was still bleeding fresh. Her entire body wracked with pain. Setsuna rolled onto her side, wincing from the pain...  
  
Duo and Dometry circled the other and then leapt at each other, fists bared and teeth clenched. They exchanged blow after blow, each getting in equal hits. Duo then quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife long enough to be a dagger. He slashed across Dometry's face, his blood splashing to the ground. He then quickly put the knife back in his pocket, not wanting it to be knocked away from him. Dometry growled, and then smirked wickedly. His fist then began to glow with a dark aura, the aura of death. One hit would surely knock Duo's life right out of him. Duo then bent backwards, dodging the fast coming hit. He grabbed Dometry's arm and launched him over Duo, knocking him roughly into the ground. Duo then quickly moved over to Setsuna. She seemed dazed, like enlightenment had dawned upon her.  
  
"Setsuna, your eyes... they're violet... they're back to normal. Please, end this. This is your story; you are the only one with the power to choose then ending. You can die, and get your eternal bliss, but then I have to live with out you! I can't do that, I can't, and no one else can either! Please, don't make us suffer with out you..." Duo said as he took her hand and removed her glove, holding her bare hand. Setsuna didn't seem to be listening; she was off in her own world.  
  
"I have their souls... locked in my heart... they can still live... if I... end this." She said, her lips barely moving. She then reached her hand into Duo's pocket and pulled out a long knife, sat up and thrust the dagger into her heart. A silver light radiated the wound, releasing five blue incandescent lights. The last light to escape its prison stopped and in a feminine voice thanked her. Setsuna smiled at the light, her mind in a daze. Alaura. It was Alaura, she could feel her essence. Setsuna's smile faded and she slipped into unconsciousness falling back into Duo's arms. Duo looked mortified, tears streaking down his face. His shoulders trembled with a white hot rage. He then stood up and walked back over to Dometry very calmly and slowly, grabbed him up by his shirt and grabbed his face, crushing it in his hand.  
  
"Fucker, if you ever call her "dove" again..." Duo said, leaving the threat open to the wandering imagination. Duo then closed his eyes, remembering his long forgotten powers from hell. His hand began to glow with the same eerie dark aura that Dometry's hand had. Dometry then began to scream in pain, writhing under Duo's clenched hand. Soon his body lay motionless in Duo's hand. Duo dropped the carcass and walked over to Usagi. She picked herself up from the ground, holding a deep gash on her arm. Her purple eyes glanced up meeting Duo's gaze, both a worried glance. Duo helped Usagi limp over to Setsuna's still body. They both knelt down beside her. Duo gently took Setsuna's pulse and sighed in relief. He nodded to Usagi and gently picked up Setsuna. Usagi pulled out her Ginzoushou and silently plead to it to take them home, tears of overwhelming joy streaking down her face. It was all over...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Warmth. Tranquility. A sharp breath. Slowly Setsuna opened her bleary eyes. Her entire body ached, some areas a sharp stabbing pain, other areas were a slow burning pain. Yet the pain was all so distant. Setsuna gazed around the room, taking in the confusing surroundings. A light over head, a sterilized scent wafting into her senses, an iv in her arms, and package of blood dripping into the iv. She quickly sat up after realizing her surroundings were not that of the Time Gates, but a hospital room. Usagi was sleeping in a chair in the corner. She had a few bandages on her head, arms and legs. A large shopping bag sat next to her. And there was a bed next to Setsuna where Duo lay, peacefully staring at the ceiling. An iv was also hooked up to his arm. A blood transfusion. Duo was giving her his blood.  
  
"Duo..." Setsuna said, her voice barely above a whisper. Tears immediately filled her eyes, tears of remorse and self loathing. "Duo... what happened?"  
  
"You ended everything... that's all that matters. You're safe, you returned their lives, and we did the rest." Duo said looking over at her with his soft, sweet violet eyes. "Your eyes..." He began, "they're violet. They're beautiful."  
  
"Oh God..." Setsuna said, her heart stopping. It had all really happened. Tears began to spill down her cheeks. She covered her face quickly in her hands and sobbed. "Duo... oh god... it all really happened..." Duo quickly got up from his bed and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"Shhh, it's all right Setsuna. Yes, it all happened, but it's all over, it's all okay. Usagi fixed things with her crystal, the lives have been restored. We forgive you, there is nothing left." Duo cooed.  
  
"How can you forgive me? After all I said, after all I've done, how can you forgive me? How could Usagi—no, Serenity, forgive me? I've betrayed her trust, abandoned my duty and have forsaken my loyalty to her! How can any of this be forgiven? How can any of this be okay?" She sobbed into his shoulder, her face still buried in her hands out of shame. Duo smiled lightly.  
  
"Because we love you, Setsuna, even those of us that you hurt, we still love you. We've talked with the Senshi of the moon; everyone loves you so much that they don't care! We're just glad to know how you feel; we love you too much to hold it against you."  
  
Setsuna's sobs hushed. "Is it true? ... Do you love Serenity?" Setsuna said in a whisper, almost scared of the answer. Duo laughed lightly.  
  
"Nope, only as a younger sister. Setsuna, I love you. Since the moment I met you, I've loved you. I was a bit confused because Usako is so much like Hilde was, but I have moved on. You have one hundred percent of my heart, and not a bit less."  
  
Setsuna smiled, fresh tears appearing, but they were tears of overwhelming happiness. Duo leaned down and kissed her gently, his hand caressing her new fallen tears away...  
  
............................................................................ ....................................................................  
  
Duo, Usagi, Quatre and Setsuna stood together in a line. Usagi and Setsuna had henshined. Setsuna held her Time Staff in her right hand, her hand wrapped protectively around it. Usagi had mended the Garnet Orb with her Ginzoushou and rightfully returned it to the Time Staff. The Garnet Orb had been a lovely surprise in Usagi's shopping bag. Setsuna looked at both Duo and Usagi, who nodded at her. She stepped forward with a deep breath held out her staff and released a Dead Scream. Her attack whirled and screamed in front of her, devastating the Time Gates. The Gates were destroyed, pieces of splintered wood falling to the ground around them. The gate way to Time and Hell was obliterated.  
  
Setsuna returned to Duo's arms, kissing him lightly. Usagi smiled to herself and leaned back into Quatre, who seemed surprised, but he also seemed to like it. In turn he wrapped his arms around Usagi's waist. A perfect fit.  
  
"So it's over..." Setsuna said, a faint smile on her face. Duo laughed.  
  
"Not quite. One more thing..." Duo trailed off. Setsuna nodded then turned around to face Usagi and Quatre. Usagi smiled.  
  
"Are you sure about this Setsuna? You know you are always welcome with us, no matter what, right?"  
  
Setsuna nodded again. "Yes, this is something I must do... ready Duo?"  
  
"Hell yeah!" Duo said. Setsuna then used her Time Staff and rifted a portal in the air. On the other side of the portal Alaura, Galaxia and her Senshi were waiting, waving her forward. Duo and Quatre shook hands while Setsuna and Usagi hugged tightly. Tears of sweet sorrow nagged at Usagi and Setsuna's eyes as Duo lead Setsuna through the portal by her hand where Alaura received them with welcome arms. Duo and Setsuna waved as the portal closed around them.  
  
Usagi sniffled and pulled out her Ginzoushou, looping her arm through Quatre's. He blushed slightly, but smiled down at her.  
  
"I'm so glad... that they'll be happy... that Setsuna finally gets her bliss. Let's go home Quatre." The crystal enveloped them in a blissful warm light, transporting them back to Usagi's home where the Senshi eagerly awaited their Queen's return...  
  
Finis 


	8. Falling Action

Intruder at the Gates 8; Falling Action  
  
"No way, Setsuna wouldn't do that! ... would she?" Makoto burst out. All of the Senshi sat around Rei's room, inquiring about Usagi's disappearance. Usagi nodded gravely. Ami had raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.  
  
"Where did you say she went? The universe of the Lunar Senshi? I don't understand, I thought we were the only Senshi."  
  
Usagi laughed lightly. "Yeah, we weren't given these memories, but to each of our own planets we received a guardian for each of our moons. Then, when the silver millennium was destroyed, two dimensions were created. I don't know why that is, but it happened. So we were separated to ensure the safety of both worlds."  
  
"Well why weren't we given these memories?" Minako said, frowning in thought.  
  
"Maybe because Queen Serenity thought we would get curious and try something."  
  
Silence fell around all the women. Slowly, evil grins began to spread over their features as their thoughts melted into each other, until they were each broken from their thoughts by a foreign voice.  
  
"Please, excuse my intruding, but no one was around and this was the place I was told to meet—oh, there you are Usako!" A gentle, formal male voice interrupted. All heads turned, though Usagi's turned the quickest. She then leapt up and into Quatre's arms. He smiled and leaned down to her height and kissed her. Usagi blushed lightly, feeling shy at the stunned stares of her friends.  
  
"Oh, uh, guys, this is Quatre, I met him when I went to find Setie- chan. Quatre, this is Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako. They are my dearest friends!" She said. Quatre gave the girls a light bow.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you all." He said simply. Rei blinked out of her state of shock first.  
  
"Um, Usako, what happened to Mamorou?" She inquired. Usagi laughed; wickedly.  
  
"I'll never see him again! That chauvinist bastard ad the nerve to sleep around, so I met my beloved Quatre! And he's ten times the man Mamo- baka could ever dream to be!" Usagi giggled, hugging Quatre close. His cheeks only lightly flushed, and he placed his arm around her hips.  
  
Slowly the four pulled themselves out of oblivion and turned back to the matter at hand. The outer senshi in the corner weren't nearly as surprised as the others. They only smirked to themselves.  
  
"I never knew Setsuna felt that way. I wish we could have done something for her. We left her all alone for eternity." Michiru said, her eyes sad. Haruka frowned, never wanting her Michi to be sad.  
  
"Don't worry about it, she told me she holds nothing against all of us, she still loves us as much as the day she met us." Usagi said, sitting down with Quatre.  
  
Rei raised an eyebrow. "Then why didn't she come home with you? Come home to us? Why did she go to this new world?"  
  
"Rei, don't take offense. Setie-chan needed to go there. She couldn't look at you guys in the eye, she feels awful for what she did. That and she has a friend there. The Senshi of Charon. She can be happy there with Duo, it means nothing against us. That and she promised to visit us."  
  
Quatre smiled. "I will miss Duo. He always was the smile of us. I'm glad Duo found someone he could love again."  
  
Makoto suddenly smiled wickedly. "Well, Queen Serenity didn't want us to know about these other Senshi because we would get curious? Well, I do know there are a lot of moons to Jupiter, so what are we waiting for!?" Mako cried out, triumphantly pumping her fist into the air...  
  
A.N.: Okay folks, that was really the end. Several of you said you didn't know where Setsuna went, so I figured I would clarify. That, and this sets up nicely for my Sequel, "INTRUDER OF MY HEART". Look for it, I'll post the first chapter soon, once I get a strong plot and some good characters. Actually, if you BELOVED reviewers would help me out here, I would dually love it. Okay, so here is what I have so far. Either the senshi are going to visit Setsuna and meet their senshi and the sequel is a comedy, or there are problems with Setsuna and Duo's relationship. I was thinking, of course, of outside foul play. Like Setsuna turning a corner and seeing Duo kissing another senshi, then the image are gone in an instant, you know, like an illusion. These images haunt Setie-chan, and eventually she leaves or something. That's all I have. Help me out here guys, whoever's advice I follow will get major credit in every chapter and then some; like, co- written. Well, that's all, I hope that clears everything up for ya'll! I just wanted to inform you of the sequel!  
  
Much lovie to all my reviewers, you guys are everything to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


End file.
